Alphabet’s Waymo said Wednesday it will begin offering robotaxis that use freeways throughout the self-driving race.
Freeway Sarid will initially be available to early access subscribers, Waymo said. “If a freeway route is significantly faster, they can be paired with a freeway trip, providing a more convenient, and more efficient ride,” it said.
Waymo, which already operates in parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, is also expanding operations in San Jose, including MinETA San Jose International Airport in Sky Harbor Service.
The move comes as Tesla expands its Robotaxi service with autonomous monitors and drivers, and zoox – offering free Robotaxi rides on and around the Las Vegas Strip.
Waymo is the only company running a paid Robotaxi service in the US, a fleet of more than 1,500 vehicles, without vehicle monitors. First began offering paid rides in Phoenix, Arizona in 2020 about 11 years after Google’s self-driving project began working on the development and testing of autonomous technology.
Waymo has been growing slowly but steadily for years, and the company, like its rivals, has faced federal investigations into unexpected behavior.
Driving on the freeway is a little less complicated than navigating the many variables of a city street but introduces a whole new set of factors in fast maneuvering of faster vehicles and how to exit. While operating autonomous vehicles is especially challenging in a city with pedestrians, frequent intersections and uneven conditions, any wrong conditions on a freeway can have serious consequences. The company said it has obtained new freeway protocols with local highway patrols and safety agencies.
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While Tesla has long offered assistance features on freeways, the move would make Waymo the first company to offer driverless rides on a freeway.