Formerly known as Google's self-driving car project, Waymo has been working on autonomous vehicle technology since 2009. Now, its self-driving cars have logged more than 4 million miles on public roads.
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Over the course of eight years, Waymo has tested its cars in 23 U.S. cities throughout the western coast of the U.S. and Texas. It took Waymo 18 months to complete its first million miles, but just six months for the last million. Recently, Waymo has been testing Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans equipped with its self-driving technology. These vehicles have even been trained to respond to emergency vehicles.
Logging miles on the road means gaining crucial data that can make autonomous cars safer. In that vein, the company uses its experience on the road as inspiration for other types of tests. Waymo has run through more than 20,000 unique driving scenarios at its 91-acre private test facility, including skateboarders lying on their boards or vehicles aggressively darting out of driveways. More than 2.5 billion miles have been driven on simulators within the last year, often practicing routes that Waymo's cars have driven in the real world.
Earlier this month, Waymo began unleashing autonomous cars without a human driver behind the wheel as a backup. These vehicles are currently operating in the Phoenix metropolitan region in fully autonomous mode. Over the next few months, the public will be able to take rides in these vehicles. Eventually, the company wants to see the program expand to cover an area "the size of Greater London."
Source: Waymo
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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