Autonomous cars that truly lack a driver are about to hit Los Angeles streets. The self-driving robotaxi service, Waymo, announced this week that it will start testing fully autonomous vehicles in LA “following a rigorous cycle of validation and safety readiness evaluation,” Waymo CEO Dmitri Dolgov wrote on Twitter.
What You Need To Know
- Waymo has been operating a driverless ride-hail service in Phoenix since October 2020
- It has been testing autonomous vehicles with a human safety driver in Los Angeles for the past several months
- Waymo is one of three companies that has a permit to deploy fully autonomous vehicles in California
- It plans to begin its tests without a safety driver in Santa Monica before expanding to other neighborhoods
In a video post that showed an electric Jaguar I-PACE equipped with Waymo self-driving technology on its roof wheeling through downtown LA, the company said, “there’s no other city like LA, but whether you’re driving in LA, SF or PHX, sharing the road with cyclists, navigating crowds, giving the right of way to joggers, the fundamentals are the same wherever you go.”
Waymo is one of 43 companies that have a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test autonomous vehicles with a human safety driver behind the wheel who can take control if the technology fails. A Waymo spokesperson told Spectrum News the company has spent months autonomously driving across LA neighborhoods with a safety driver, including downtown, the Miracle Mile, Koreatown and Westwood.
The company is gradually ramping up its tests without a safety driver starting in Santa Monica before expanding to other neighborhoods, the spokesperson said. To the company’s knowledge, when testing begins, Waymo will be the first fully autonomous car to drive in the LA metro area.
Based in Mountain View, Calif., Waymo is one of seven companies that have a California permit to test autonomous vehicles without a human safety driver behind the wheel. It is one of three companies, including General Motors’ Cruise and Nuro, Inc., also based in Mountain View, that are allowed to deploy the technology in the state.
Last summer, the California Public Utilities Commission approved Cruise’s application to be the state’s first robotic taxi service in San Francisco. Cruise and Waymo have both been operating robotaxi services in the Bay Area in autonomous vehicles with backup safety drivers. Waymo has been operating a driverless ride-hail in Phoenix since October 2020.
As a seasoned expert in autonomous vehicles and related technologies, my extensive knowledge in the field positions me well to discuss the recent developments in self-driving cars, particularly Waymo's venture into fully autonomous testing on the streets of Los Angeles.
Firstly, let me underscore the significance of Waymo's announcement. Waymo, a prominent player in the autonomous vehicle industry, has been at the forefront of innovation, operating a driverless ride-hail service in Phoenix since October 2020. The recent revelation that they are set to commence testing fully autonomous vehicles in Los Angeles is a substantial leap forward. This move underscores Waymo's commitment to pushing the boundaries of self-driving technology, as evidenced by the statement from Waymo CEO Dmitri Dolgov on Twitter about rigorous validation and safety readiness evaluation.
Now, let's delve into the key concepts and elements mentioned in the article:
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Waymo's Current Operations: The article highlights Waymo's existing operations, emphasizing that they have been testing autonomous vehicles with a human safety driver in Los Angeles for several months. This crucial point establishes Waymo's gradual progression towards fully autonomous testing.
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Expansion Plans in LA: Waymo's decision to start testing fully autonomous vehicles in Santa Monica and then expand to other neighborhoods is a strategic move. This approach allows them to assess and adapt their technology to diverse urban environments, showcasing a thoughtful and comprehensive testing strategy.
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Technology Showcase: The video post showcasing an electric Jaguar I-PACE equipped with Waymo self-driving technology navigating downtown LA serves as both evidence and a demonstration of their technological prowess. The emphasis on the universality of their technology, applicable across cities like LA, San Francisco, and Phoenix, highlights the adaptability and reliability of Waymo's autonomous systems.
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Regulatory Approval and Permits: The article mentions Waymo's compliance with regulatory requirements, noting that the company is one of three with a permit to deploy fully autonomous vehicles in California. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has granted permits to 43 companies to test autonomous vehicles with a human safety driver, providing context to the regulatory landscape.
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Competitive Landscape: Waymo's position as one of seven companies permitted to test autonomous vehicles without a human safety driver in California places them in an elite group. Additionally, the mention of General Motors' Cruise and Nuro, Inc. as the other two companies with deployment permits adds context to the competitive landscape in the autonomous vehicle sector.
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Industry Developments: The article briefly touches upon Cruise's approval as the first robotic taxi service in San Francisco and the operations of Cruise and Waymo in the Bay Area. This broader industry context indicates the momentum and progress within the autonomous vehicle sector.
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Waymo's Experience: The information that Waymo has been operating a driverless ride-hail service in Phoenix since October 2020 reinforces their experience and expertise in deploying autonomous vehicles for public use.
In conclusion, Waymo's foray into fully autonomous testing in Los Angeles represents a significant milestone in the development of self-driving technology. The evidence presented in the article, coupled with my in-depth understanding of autonomous vehicle technology, reaffirms the transformative impact and continuous evolution of this groundbreaking field.
