However, the rollout of Waymo's autonomous vehicles has faced some challenges. The company had to recall its vehicles after two of them crashed into the same truck within minutes on Valentine's Day. Additionally, a Waymo taxi was set on fire by a crowd in San Francisco protesting against driverless technology. Despite these setbacks, Waymo maintains that its data indicates its vehicles are safer than those driven by humans, with a significantly lower likelihood of being involved in injury-causing accidents.
Key takeaways:
- Waymo's chief product officer shared a video demonstrating how its driverless vehicles perceive and respond to pedestrians.
- The company is currently testing its robotaxis across 43 square miles of Austin, Texas, marking its fourth market to date.
- The service is currently only available to Waymo employees, with no announcement yet on a wider rollout.
- Despite recent setbacks, including a recall after two driverless cars crashed and a protest in San Francisco, Waymo maintains that its vehicles are safer than those driven by humans.