Despite facing challenges such as a collision with a cyclist in San Francisco and a recall of its autonomous software, Waymo is pressing ahead with its expansion. This comes as several Chinese autonomous vehicle startups have scaled back or halted testing in the United States, and competitors like GM's Cruise and Ford-backed Argo AI face scrutiny. Waymo has been testing on Austin streets since March 2023, and its connection with the city dates back to October 2015 when it provided a ride to a blind man in its prototype vehicle.
Key takeaways:
- Waymo is introducing its autonomous vehicles in Austin, initially limited to Waymo employees, with plans to eventually make the service available to the general public.
- The autonomous vehicles will cover around 43 square miles of Austin, including neighborhoods like Barton Hills, Riverside, East Austin, Hyde Park, and downtown.
- Austin is the fourth city, after Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix, where Waymo's driverless cars are officially in service.
- Despite recent challenges, including a collision with a cyclist in San Francisco and two incidents in Phoenix, Waymo continues to expand its program, Waymo One, while competitors face scrutiny and operational halts.