Waymo announced Monday it will soon begin testing its rider-only cars on Phoenix area freeways in the coming weeks.
Valley motorists have seen driverless Waymo cars on local streets since the ride-hailing company started its service in Chandler back in 2017. Now, the autonomous vehicles will be hitting local freeways as the company starts its testing this month.
Just as Waymo has taken a gradual approach to rolling out its technology in the past, the company will start by offering its employees rider-only trips on freeways, during which employees will provide feedback on the service and rider experience.
Like other expansions to operations, Waymo, owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, Inc., says it's “following the same processes outlined by its safety framework, informed by years of safe and proven experience, operating fleets of rider-only vehicles on public roads across Arizona and California and millions of miles of experience operating autonomous class 8 trucks and cars on freeways with a specialist present."
