Waymo expands in LA: Everything you need to know about the growth of Robotaxi services

Self-driving cars are slowly moving Less dystopia and real world As a favorite company WaymoGoogle Parent Alphabet’s unmanned arm expands to more cities. And on Tuesday, the company shared it Add 10 square miles The Los Angeles service area now includes parts of Inglewood, Crenshaw and Westchester.

Waymo currently operates completely autonomous vehicles for the general public in the San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles areas. Waymo 1 app. However, in 2025, the company will add more locations to its roster, and will eventually be open to riders in places like Atlanta and Miami. Waymo tests on a manually driven vehicle 10 new cities This year, it will start in Las Vegas and San Diego.

All autonomous vehicles are carried out on the electric grid Jaguar I Pacebut in October, Waymo announced it Partnership with Hyundai To introduce next-generation technology IONIQ 5 SUV. Over the next few years, riders will be able to summon all these electric vehicles without a driver behind the wheel.

Self-driving technology companies are not used to large-scale partnerships. I said that in 2024 Teaming Use Uber to provide Robotaxi services to Atlanta and Austin via the Uber app. Starting this year, Uber will be managing and dispatching Waymo’s fully self-driving fleet of vehicles, allowing you to choose to ride without a driver when you set out on your journey.

Waymo says it offers more 150,000 trips Every week. I welcomed some rides in San Francisco, but at first (especially to see the steering wheel spinning on its own), I quickly adjusted and quickly felt like a normal ride Ta.

That doesn’t mean there were no pushbacks as Waymo would expand to more cities. The company’s vehicles are involved in a handful of prominent collisions. One with bikers In San Francisco, another one with a tow pickup truck in Phoenix. (that I’ve recalled the software and updated it To address concerns, Waymo said its autonomous Waymo driver technology “avoids injuries and prevents human drivers from police reporting crashes than human drivers.” If it gets twice as good, then up to 3.5 times would have been better. SF and Phoenix. “Also released a. Data Hub Last year, I detailed an effort to improve road safety using that technology.

As Waymo continues to expand and develop autonomous driving technology, if your company is in one of the few cities where it currently runs a fleet, here is a guide to how and where to summon Robotaxi.

Hairstyle riding in Phoenix

Phoenix was like that First City To make the fully autonomous Waymo Rides available to the public in 2020. Waymo One App-on iOS or Android – No wait list is required. This service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You can also do it as a teaser for what’s coming to Austin and Atlanta Use the Uber app Summon one of the Phoenix Waymo vehicles. If you request an Uberx, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric Ride, you can check the Waymo ride if it matches.

In addition to It brings about ride comfortyou may have one too Uber eats food delivered in self-driving cars. Ordering in the Phoenix area may give you a note saying, “A self-driving car may deliver your order.” When the Waymo car arrives, hold your phone and open the trunk and grab the delivery. If you want to deliver food to humans, you can opt out of this while checking out.

Hair riding in San Francisco

San Francisco followed and unfolded after Phoenix. A completely autonomous ride in the second half of 2022. that Waiting list has been discarded In June, anyone can download the Waymo One app and ride it anytime. This service is operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Currently, there are no Uber partnerships in San Francisco.

August, Waymo We expanded our riding service Enter the San Francisco Peninsula and add 10 square miles and challenge Daily City, Broadmoor and Colma. It currently operates at 55 square miles in the Bay Area.

Calling for a ride in Los Angeles

In November, Waymo abolished the waitlist Los Angeles And it started Welcome all public riders Through the Waymo One app. Interested passengers can jump on the Lobotaxis 24/7 and ride near 90 square miles of LA County, including Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and downtown LA.

Coming soon: Austin and Atlanta

Earlier this month, Uber has opened the waitlist in AustinTherefore, the rider is Waymo Robotaxi when calling for a future ride. With this collaboration’s lead-up, Waymo first began allowing “a limited number of early riders.” Waymo One Note that apps, processes will eventually shift to Uber’s platform.

“Rider will be crossing the 37-square-mile city as he prepares for a commercial launch early next year. This is only the Uber app.” Posted on x October.

The program has not yet been officially launched on Uber, but it plans to do so “quickly.”

The Uber partnership should make autonomous vehicles more accessible to more people. They don’t need to download another app to hitch a ride on Robotaxi now. In a September statement, Waymo Ceo-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said, “Waymo’s mission is to become the world’s most trusted driver, and this expanded network and operational partnership with Austin and Atlanta Uber. I’m excited to start with: driving completely autonomous to more riders.”

As part of the Uber partnership, Uber will manage tasks such as vehicle cleaning and repair, and “Waymo will continue to be responsible for testing and operating WAYMO drivers, including Roadside Assistance and specific rider support capabilities,” the company said. It’s there. Uber also says that customers will pay Waymo Robotaxi the same rate they would have for Uberx, Uber Green, Uber Comfort or Uber Comfort Electric Ride and display the prepaid price on the app.

In Atlanta, public riders will be able to ride driverlessly via the Uber app from early 2025. Currently, Waymo employees at Atlanta are the only people who can welcome fully autonomous vehicles.

The general members of both Austin and Atlanta Interest List You will be notified when it’s time to ride.

The road ahead: Miami and future vehicles

Miami is next on Waymo’s list, but you’ll have to wait until 2026 to get there via the Waymo One app, the company says. it’s been Weather test conducted Take note of this development and a Blog post“Our previous road trips to the challenging rainy conditions of Sunshine State have been invaluable in advancing our autonomous driving capabilities.”

Waymo will work with Moove, the Fintech Company, the first to provide vehicle financing at Phoenix, which manages Robotaxi’s fleet operations, facilities and charging infrastructure. In both Phoenix and Miami, “Waymo will continue to provide our services through the Waymo One app and will continue to be responsible for verifying and operating Waymo drivers,” the company said. Blog post.

Waymo announced in August 6th generation Among the autonomous driving technologies, the aim is to expand the capabilities of the driverless fleet. Smarter sensors are intended to help you navigate your car better in extreme weather, Waymo said. The sixth generation drivers are installed on all electricity Zeekr vehiclefeatures flat floor, more heads and legroom, adjustable seats, removable steering wheel and pedals. The updated technology is still being tested and the company says it will be available to riders soon.

Waymo was also announced in October Partnership with Hyundai According to a blog post, “it will be added to the Waymo One fleet over time” to integrate the sixth generation driver into the all-electric Ioniq 5 SUV. The company added, “We are planning to produce Ioniq 5 equipped with Waymo technology for several years and to support Waymo growth scale.” . Testing on these vehicles will begin by late 2025 and become available “in the year to follow.”

Currently, daily riders are not able to use Waymo vehicles on highways and highways, but that may change soon. The company is testing completely autonomous vehicles Phoenix HighwayAs seen in Exclusive Video Shared with CNET in May. We are also now making fully autonomous highway rides available to Waymo employees. In Los Angeles.

Waymo is working to expand autonomous driving technology to trucking, but last year it was Reduce those efforts For now, I’ll focus on riding on the Waymo One. “Our continued investment in advancing the capabilities of Waymo drivers, especially on the highways, will be translated directly into trucking and benefit our development efforts,” he said.