Waymo robotaxis begin using freeways in San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Phoenix
By Carlos E. Castañeda
Waymo has begun offering autonomous robotaxi service using freeways for the first time in select cities in California and Arizona, the company announced.
The Mountain View, Calif.-based company said its robotaxis began using freeways in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Phoenix on Wednesday. Waymo indicated freeway access will not be available to all riders at first, and riders who want to enable freeway rides can select their preference in the Waymo app and may be matched with a freeway trip.
Waymo also announced Wednesday it has expanded service to San Jose, including to San Jose Mineta International Airport. It currently provides service at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport, and is testing out service to San Francisco International Airport through a pilot program. Waymo is not currently providing service at Los Angeles International Airport.
Freeway access in other cities is currently in the testing phase, the company said.
Waymo, owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, also offers autonomous rides in Austin and Atlanta, with plans to expand to Washington, D.C, Miami and Dallas by next year. It is also testing its robotaxi service in New York City and announced last month it was testing service to Newark Liberty International Airport.
“We’re offering freeway access to a growing number of public riders and will introduce the service to more over time, including as we expand freeway capabilities to Austin, Atlanta, and beyond – always guided by our commitment to safety and service excellence,” Waymo said on its website blog. “Freeway trips make Waymo even more convenient and efficient, whether you’re headed to Sky Harbor International Airport, cruising from Downtown LA to Culver City, or commuting in our newly expanded Bay Area service.”
The company’s expansion to freeway access comes after recent high-profile incidents involving its robotaxis, including passing a stopped school bus with flashing lights in Atlanta, an illegal U-turn in San Bruno on the San Francisco Peninsula, and a fatal crash involving a beloved neighborhood cat.
Waymo says its own safety data shows 91% fewer crashes involving serious injuries and 92% fewer crashes involving pedestrians compared to a human driver, while acknowledging the vehicles are still learning.
“Achieving fully autonomous freeway operations is a profound engineering feat-easy to conceive, yet hard to truly master,” said Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov in a prepared statement. “This milestone is a powerful testament to the maturity of our operations and technology. We are proud to begin offering riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix trips that use freeways as we continue to scale the Waymo Driver, always guided by safety.”
Waymo told CBS News last year that 25% of its rides would benefit from freeway use. The company has been offering robotaxi freeway rides to employees and guests for over a year. The company says its freeway operations are supported by expanded operational protocols developed in coordination with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the California Highway Patrol.
