Waymo may operate AVs in Phoenix ‘without safety driver’

Ride-hailing company Waymo may be about to start operating fully-autonomous vehicles (AVs) to pick people up - without a safety driver. An email sent to users, which appeared on Reddit, said people in Phoenix, Arizona, who were matched with an AV will see a notification in the app that confirms the car will not have a trained driver. Users can tap a ‘What to Expect’ button within the app to learn more about the AVs. They can also communicate with a rider support agent at any part of the trip via the app o
October 17, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Ride-hailing company 8621 Waymo may be about to start operating fully-autonomous vehicles (AVs) to pick people up - without a safety driver.

An email sent to users, which appeared on %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external Reddit false https://www.reddit.com/r/SelfDrivingCars/comments/dflcan/waymo_email_to_customers_completely_driverless/ false false%>, said people in Phoenix, Arizona, who were matched with an AV will see a notification in the app that confirms the car will not have a trained driver.

Users can tap a ‘What to Expect’ button within the app to learn more about the AVs. They can also communicate with a rider support agent at any part of the trip via the app or the car’s help button, the company adds. Earlier this year, Waymo %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external deployed false https://www.itsinternational.com/categories/utc/news/waymo-and-lyft-bring-more-avs-to-phoenix/ false false%>10 AVs on 8789 Lyft’s platform to operate in the Metro Phoenix area.

In a separate announcement, the company said via %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external Twitter false https://twitter.com/Waymo/status/1181240275642961920 false false%>that it has deployed AVs in Los Angeles to explore “how Waymo’s tech might fit into LA’s dynamic transportation environment”.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Falling asleep in an AV… but what happens next?
    September 18, 2019
    Sleeping while a driverless car speeds you to your destination has long been touted as the dream of the new technology – and something of a nightmare for safety campaigners. A new video from the BBC shows exactly what happens if a driver falls asleep in an autonomous vehicle (AV). In the filmed test, the AV prompts the driver to resume control when approaching roadworks on a motorway. When the driver fails to act, the vehicle comes to a halt and automatically parks in a lay-by. Motor industry research
    Read More
  • La Sécurité Routière calls for self-driving cars to pass driving test
    April 11, 2018
    French safety agency La Sécurité Routière has proposed that autonomous vehicles (AVs) should be made to pass a standard driving test before deployment on roads – according to a report by The European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL). Through the proposed test, AVs would be set to autopilot mode and be required to participate in a driving examination. Manoeuvres, different driving speeds, parking and navigation would all be under scrutiny.
    Read More
  • China Mobile to trial 5G smart expressway in Hubei province
    February 15, 2019
    Telecoms company China Mobile is working with highway operators to unveil a 5G-based smart expressway programme in China’s central Hubei province. A report by Ecns.com says the company’s Hubei subsidiary is taking steps to choose sites for 5G stations, test intelligent tolling systems and prepare for trials involving driverless cars. China Mobile’s Hubei branch is working with the group’s tech subsidiary in Shanghai and with Hubei Provincial Communications Investment to investigate how ultrafast 5G
    Read More
  • Associations News from around the world
    December 4, 2012
    The world’s ITS Associations participated in the ITS World Congress in Vienna, including: New Zealand, which stressed the need for future proof ITS solutions; the Netherlands; Australia called for greater ITS content in road safety strategy; ITS South Africa discussed new strategic opportunities in the country; ITS Nigeria took advantage of the World Congress to stage its global launch; UK ITS professionals were congratulated on their achievements during the Olympic Games by ITS UK; ITS Canada co-hosted a w
    Read More

Highlighted Content