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Waymo robotaxi to begin driverless services for employees in Austin

Economic Times · 8m

Alphabet's autonomous driving division, Waymo, announced plans to launch driverless passenger services in Austin, Texas for its employees. The expansion comes as rival company Cruise, owned by General Motors, suspended its US operations following a pedestrian accident. Waymo will initially offer services in 43 square miles of the city, including downtown Austin, and plans to open its ride-hailing program, Waymo One, to the public at a later date. This move marks Austin as Waymo's fourth ride-hailing city, joining San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. Waymo has obtained approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to provide fully driverless robotaxi services in Los Angeles and nearby cities. Both Waymo and Cruise have faced challenges and criticisms related to collisions and public backlash.