After traveling millions of kilometers to verify the safety of the system, the auto Waymo who drive alone and navigate traffic become one of the services offered by Uber. Anyone in the city of Phoenix (AZ) can now use the Uber app to book the arrival of a taxi without driver.
Waymo is a technology company directly controlled by Alphabet/Google: founded in 2009 with the self-explanatory name of “Google Self-Driving Car Project“, the company focuses on the design and development of technologies for autonomous drivingwith the aim of creating safe and efficient vehicles that can be used for a variety of purposes, including the road transport of people and goods.
How the self-driving taxi works with the Waymo Driver service
The company belonging to the Google portfolio has developed a fleet of autonomous vehicles and has initiated pilot programs, over the years, for the autonomous transportation of people and goods in some areas of the United States. Waymo, whose name derives from the fusion of the words “Way” (road) and “Mobility” (mobility), is also involved in developing and continuously updating the software for autonomous driving, sensors and systems artificial intelligence to make vehicles capable of moving smoothly on public roads.
Autonomous driving does not exist in Europe: over time there have been various tests but nothing comparable to what Waymo has done. We also talked about how, for example, the driving software used in vehicles is classified Tesla. In the case of Waymo, however, the company confirms that it has developed a system (Waymo Driver) Of SAE level 4 (Society of Automotive Engineers).
Level 4 describes cars capable of operating in fully autonomous mode under certain conditions and in certain predefined geographical areas, without requiring human intervention. In the case of the partnership between Waymo and Uber, users can use the service to move with self-driving cars over an area measuring approximately 360 square kilometers. It is not possible to go beyond this area (the car will not allow it) for safety reasons.
The Uber app allows you to book a self-driving car and reach your desired destination
The spokespersons of Uber they explain that the app of the same name is always the reference point for reaching a specific destination starting from the position you are in. After launching the app and choosing from the various options available, in the areas covered by the Uber service it will allow you to request a trip with Waymo Driver.
Once you arrive at the point where the customer is, the doorman of the Waymo vehicle can be unlock using the app. The Uber application allows you to set the destination and know the cost of the ride in advance.
The idea at this point is to extend the service to an increasingly larger number of cities and, at the same time, invest in electric vehicles that allow us to benefit from a zero-emission mobility platform by 2040. Uber and Waymo begin their partnership by offering a fully electric Jaguar I-PACE.
