Date: March 7, 2024. — Waymo has announced that it will start testing its fully autonomous vehicles in Austin with no human driver behind the wheel. The company said initially only Waymo employees will be able to experience rides in the autonomous vehicles. However, the company plans to open up the service to the public in the near future, allowing Austin residents to hail a driverless Waymo car through their app.
The driverless cars will operate in a designated 43-square-mile area, encompassing downtown Austin, Barton Hills, Riverside, East Austin, and Hyde Park. It claims that its driverless cars are safer and more efficient than human drivers, citing a report that found the Waymo Driver had 85% fewer crashes that resulted in injuries and 57% fewer crashes reported to police than comparable human driving benchmarks over 7.1 million miles of fully autonomous driving.
Waymo hopes that its service will provide a convenient, affordable, and sustainable alternative to personal car ownership and traditional transportation modes. It also plans to collaborate with local stakeholders, such as the city government, transportation agencies, community groups, and disability advocates, to ensure that its service meets the needs and expectations of Austin residents.
Moreover, Waymo will also participate in the upcoming SXSW festival, where it will showcase its vision and progress in the field of autonomous driving. Waymo co-CEO, Tekedra Mawakana, will join a featured session to discuss what it takes to scale an autonomous ride-hailing service in multiple cities, including Austin, and the company’s exciting next steps. It’s head of user experience, Lauren Schwendimann, will moderate a panel where key disability advocates will discuss the benefits of autonomous vehicles for the accessibility community.
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