Breakthrough Test Means Waymo’s Autonomous Cars Can Ditch Backup Drivers
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For almost a decade, self-driving cars have graced public roads – but always with a person behind the wheel. Now Waymo is yanking the driver.
The autonomous car unit of Google parent Alphabet Inc. said on Tuesday it will soon start chauffeuring people in minivans without “safety drivers,” staffers that man the steering wheel. Waymo is doing so in a limited region of Phoenix, Ariz., where it is running a pilot program with volunteer passengers. The move, a first for any company, is a major milestone for the internet giant’s bid to lead the crowded pack trying to commercialize driverless technology.
Photo: Waymo
“We want the experience of traveling with Waymo to be routine, so you want to use our driver for your everyday needs,” John Krafcik, Waymo’s chief executive officer, said at the Web Summit conference in Portugal. “Fully self-driving cars are here.”
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