1. Waymo is a robotaxi service owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., initially formed in 2009 as the Google Self-Driving Car Project.
2. Waymo provides driverless taxi services in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, with plans to launch in Austin by the end of 2024.
3. Waymo has experienced multiple accidents, including a recent recall and software update after crashes in Phoenix, highlighting the challenges of autonomous vehicle technology.
Waymo is a robotaxi service owned by Alphabet Inc., initially developed by Google in 2009 at the Google X lab. In 2012, Nevada licensed a self-driving vehicle running Google software, marking the first of its kind in the US. Alphabet’s CEO granted Waymo more autonomy in 2022, distancing it from Google. Despite layoffs in recent years, Waymo remains headquartered in Mountain View, California.
Waymo provides driverless taxi services in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, operating a fleet of autonomous vehicles. In 2016, the project was spun out of Google and became a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. Waymo has had multiple accidents, including a recent recall and update of its robotaxi software after incidents in Phoenix and San Francisco.
Prospective riders can use the Waymo One app to access the service, which is currently available in Phoenix and set to launch in Austin by the end of 2024. Waymo ride prices are based on distance and time, with a minimum charge for all trips. In a test in April 2023, a five-mile, 20-minute Waymo ride cost $11, similar to an Uber trip. Waymo’s services are also waitlisted in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Waymo’s development of autonomous vehicles began with the unveiling of a prototype in 2014, with the first fully autonomous ride given in 2015. The company ordered 100 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans in 2016 to test the technology and later partnered with other auto manufacturers and Lyft. Public operations in Phoenix began in 2020, with plans to expand to San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin.