For the first time in history, you may be able to hail a Waymo ride and when you get in the vehicle, you might not see a driver in the front seat.
The subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. will launch the first self-driving ride-hailing service next month in Phoenix. This service is meant to compete with Uber and Lyft, but the most important part is that this will be a service offered to give the city a fleet of vehicles that are able to offer a ride to wherever you need to go in a vehicle that doesn’t have a driver behind the wheel.
The Waymo Testing Area Expanded
In an effort to ensure success with this new program, Waymo will launch the driverless ride-hailing service in the same area that it’s been testing the Early Rider Program for the past several months. This will cover a roughly 100 square-mile area with the members of this early program being offered the ability to hail their rides with this new system. So far, there were 400 volunteer families that have been riding in the Waymo models for nearly a year with new customers that will be added gradually as more confidence in the program is gained.
Using the Chrysler Pacifica Models
We’ve become familiar with the current Waymo program and the long list of Chrysler Pacifica minivans that have been used to make this program a success. The company has stated that safety is at the core of everything they do and this is one reason they’re taking a gradual approach to the new program. This new program will be offered under a new name and it will make it possible for the Waymo team to review how these new models will operate in the Phoenix area.
A First Permit is Offered for these Chrysler Models
Waymo is the first company to receive a permit from California to test autonomous vehicles without a backup driver in place. This allows the team to use about three dozen test vehicles in the Silicon Valley area which will likely be the next place that we’ll see these Chrysler Pacifica minivans without a driver in them. We will likely see an Early Rider Program offered in this area which will be followed by the actual autonomous models that are no longer just being tested to see if they can function appropriately in the region.
Waymo is Ahead of the Rest
Waymo came from Google and is considered to be ahead of the rest when it comes to developing autonomous driving technology. The closest competition is the GM Cruise program. Waymo has been testing for longer, has more miles drive, and has been working to develop this technology, first under the Google name, for nearly a decade. Waymo has partnered with FCA to deliver as many as 62,000 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans to the market to allow this program to grow and become successful. Will you choose a Waymo to ride in when you visit one of the areas that will offer driverless vehicles?
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