Waymo, the self-driving company under Alphabet, has initiated testing of its robotaxis in Atlanta on Tuesday, expanding its testing and deployment operations to yet another city.
In the upcoming months, Waymo plans to deploy a small number of cars operated manually by humans to gather mapping data and acquaint themselves with Atlanta’s environment, as stated by Sandy Karp, a Waymo spokesperson. Subsequently, Waymo intends to conduct tests with its robotaxis in Atlanta, eliminating the need for a safety driver in the front seat.
Similar to many other states, Georgia has minimal regulations governing autonomous vehicles (AVs), allowing Waymo to potentially introduce fully autonomous vehicles on the streets without a safety driver, provided it adheres to the state’s minimal risk conditions.
Waymo has refrained from commenting on its commercial launch plans in Atlanta or any other cities where it has commenced mapping activities. Earlier this month, Waymo initiated mapping efforts in Washington, D.C., and commenced winter testing of robotaxis in Buffalo in November 2023.
“We’re focused on expanding our fully autonomous Waymo One ride-hailing service in the cities where we operate, while responsibly advancing our autonomous technology through road trips across various U.S. cities,” stated Karp.
Atlanta marks the latest addition to Waymo’s expanding presence. Just last week, Waymo officially rolled out paid robotaxi rides in Los Angeles. In March, California regulators granted Waymo approval to expand its commercial robotaxi service across the San Francisco peninsula and on San Francisco freeways, providing access to San Francisco International Airport. Waymo has been offering rides to and from Phoenix’s airport since November 2022 and recently extended its services to include curbside drop-off and pickup.
Additionally, Waymo commenced offering driverless rides to employees in Austin in March and intends to open the service to the public later this year.
Waymo’s recent strides are reminiscent of Cruise’s expansion efforts last year. By August 2023, Cruise had announced data collection initiatives in Atlanta, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, and other cities. Cruise had also initiated robotaxi testing in Austin, Houston, Dallas, and Miami, along with operating a limited robotaxi service in Phoenix.
However, Cruise’s expansion plans encountered a setback following an incident in San Francisco on October 2, resulting in suspended permits and the grounding of its entire fleet.
It’s crucial to distinguish between Waymo and Cruise. Cruise has faced scrutiny for its robotaxis malfunctioning on public roads, causing disruptions to traffic flow, public transit, and emergency services. While Waymo has been perceived as a company progressing cautiously, it is not immune to issues. In February, Waymo recalled the software powering its robotaxi fleet after two vehicles collided with the same towed pickup truck in Phoenix in December. Additionally, a Waymo robotaxi was involved in a collision resulting in the death of a dog in June 2023.
