Wednesday, 08 November 2017

Alphabet's Waymo to launch robotaxis

Reuters reports that after eight years of testing in six different states, Alphabet Inc's Waymo is about to launch its own ride-hailing service with no human behind the steering wheel. The service has been tested on public roads in Arizona.

These tests are a first for the US as the vehicles were driving on public roads with no human behind the wheel.

Waymo said members of the public will begin riding in its fleet of Fiat Chrysler Pacifica minivans without human drivers in a test run of the service in the next few months in certain areas of Phoenix, Arizona. With its dry weather, Phoenix is the right environment to test the vehicles as developers are struggling with vehicle performance in snow or heavy rain.

Using a ride-hailing app, members of the public can take part in the trials, accompanied in the back seat by a member of Waymo's staff, although this is temporary and they will eventually travel alone, with the ability to stop the car using a button.

A free service at first, Waymo will eventually charge for the service.

'Because we see so much potential in shared mobility, the first way people will get to experienceWaymo's fully self-driving technology will be as a driverless service,' chief executive John Krafcik.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did not immediately comment on Tuesday but said in September last year that conventionally designed vehicles that can be operated autonomously faced no specific federal legal barrier.