Google Trialing Ride Hailing Service in Phoenix with 100 Self Driving Minivans, 500 More on Order

April 25th, 2017

Via: Vox:

For years, Google — which recently renamed its self-driving car division “Waymo” — has been viewed as having the industry’s leading self-driving car technology. In the past couple of years, Waymo has had dozens of cars on the road racking up more than 2 million miles of real-world driving experience.

Now Waymo is taking the next step: opening its testing program to members of the general public. People in the Phoenix area can apply for access to Waymo’s new testing program. In a Monday blog post, Waymo CEO John Krafcik says that “hundreds” of families will be accepted into the program. Families need to apply to participate. The lucky ones chosen by Waymo will get to take unlimited rides for free.

Waymo already has a fleet of 100 Chrysler Pacifica Minivans, and the company is ordering 500 more to support the new riders. The goal is not only to get feedback from these new customers, but also to gather more real-world data about the road conditions and challenges self-driving cars face when traveling around on real city streets. The minivans will have a Waymo employee in the front seat ready to take over if the self-driving software gets into trouble. Eventually, Waymo’s hope is to eliminate these safety drivers, but the company hasn’t said how long that will take.

2 Responses to “Google Trialing Ride Hailing Service in Phoenix with 100 Self Driving Minivans, 500 More on Order”

  1. Duras says:

    LOL. At least the guinea pigs in drug trials get compensated, the reward for “winning” here is free rides?

    That’s like paying someone in a drug trial by saying, “well, you’re getting untested treatments, if it works, it’s free!” [If not, you signed away any potential rights to sue ;)]

    Google carpool lane here we come.

    Yee-ikes.

  2. pookie says:

    If you suddenly find yourself being driven round and round Phoenix in one of these Waymo minivans, complete with soccer mom and screaming kids as passengers, and “Who let the dogs out” playing in a loop on the radio, you know you’re in hell and should’ve been NICER to your mother when she was alive.

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