Waymo has emerged as a leading player in the robotaxi market, especially after the decline of its competitor Cruise, owned by GM. Operating in several U.S. cities, Waymo recently partnered with Uber, indicating service expansion. While other companies like Tesla have shown interest in launching robotaxi services, none have matched Waymo's success. The specifics of the data Waymo plans to collect or use remain unclear, and the company has been contacted for further information.
Key takeaways:
- Waymo may use videos of passengers captured by in-vehicle cameras to sell ads and train its AI models, with an opt-out option provided to comply with California's privacy law.
- The new policy was discovered by software researcher Jane Manchun Wong, who is known for finding unreleased updates in companies' software.
- The policy allows Waymo to share data to improve functionality and tailor products, services, ads, and offers, with an opt-out option for California riders under the California Consumer Privacy Act.
- Waymo has become the dominant player in California's self-driving car industry, especially after the decline of its competitor Cruise, and has recently partnered with Uber to expand its services.