Everything you need to know about Waymo’s self-driving cars

The concept of self-driving cars may still seem too futuristic, and we can’t really blame you for thinking that. We often see these concept ideas lumped in with other techy ideas and gadgets in movies. But whether you like it or not, driverless cars are already upon us.

Although they haven’t arrived in the Philippine shores yet, they’re bound to be here any time soon. A lot of the companies which decided to produce self-driving cars are those competitive enough (or well-funded) to stay in the game -- including well-known companies like General Motors. But we may hear of new names and brands that are stepping onto the scene as well.

Waymo LLC is a driverless vehicle technology development company

One of these particularly competitive brands is Waymo. Waymo is actually not a car manufacturer? What gives? Continue reading this article from Philkotse.com to know more about Waymo and its work in self-driving cars.

Waymo LLC is a driverless vehicle technology development company. It used to be a subsidiary of the well-known Alphabet, Inc. starting off as a Google project.

After some time, it spun off as its own company. This great leap happened in December 2016, then Waymo started its own limited trial of the driverless taxi service around Phoenix, Arizona around April of 2017.

1. What are Waymo cars?

Waymo is classified as a driverless technology company rather than a driverless car company. This means that the company is more into implementing and developing driverless technologies. The folks there are less interested in building vehicles. The company is also less attracted to engineering concepts.

Its Google Firefly prototype, on the other hand, was an exception to this. The Firefly looked like a Volkswagen and Gem mixed hybrid. It is purely designed for zero human interaction. It has no brake pads, accelerator, steering wheel, or any traditional controller at all.

Waymo is classified as a driverless technology company rather than a driverless car company

The Firefly prototype is a peek into the future of driverless cars. Unfortunately, Waymo ditched the idea. Instead, they went the more traditional route.

The company already has a fleet of driverless cars in Arizona. These consist wholly of heavily modified production model vehicles. Waymo was also glad to identify the vehicles that they used for their fleet. These were the Jaguar I-Pace and the Chrysler Pacifica.

Waymo even had to interact with Chrysler often while they design the Pacifica minivan. They were meticulous with the process to make sure that the product would match the self-driving technology.

>>> Check out: 3 best driverless car manufacturers and what you need to know.

2. The tech behind Waymo’s driverless cars

To put it simply, Waymo’s driverless cars use straightforward technology. Each of these vehicles relies on accurate maps of the location it’s assigned to. These maps have a margin of error, which is estimated to be by just an inch.

They also include accurate information about the different elements of the road. Road obstructions such as stop signs, road layout, and traffic signals are some examples.

To put it simply, Waymo’s driverless cars use straightforward technology

But even maps can’t predict real-time events. This is why all Waymo cars have a LIDAR system. LIDAR systems use lasers to scan and create images of the surrounding of the car. Unlike a human operator, the Lidar can have a full 360-degree view of the area around the car.

>>> FYI: 

• Debunking the 5 common myths about driverless cars.
• Smart driving: Components of self-driving cars that allow self-navigation.

3. What gives, and who benefits?

The concept of driverless cars has always earned the curiosity of the public. Achieving and applying this concept, in reality, is something that will definitely show how far technology can go.

But let’s be honest, things that are out of the norm usually receive more criticism than praise. If one were ever to see a driverless car driving down the road, they’d think what these driverless cars are for. So for whom are these driverless really intended? And why would people even want a self-driving car instead of the regular one?

The concept of driverless cars has always earned the curiosity of the public

Waymo proclaimed that its mission is to provide people with an easier and safer way to move around. The basic idea is that there are definitely a lot of good drivers. But it seems that the number of bad drivers outnumbers them.

This is why Waymo thinks that a world with self-driving cars can be safer than one with cars driven by humans. But then again, who can say that that is actually true?

Regardless, self-driving cars like those Waymo develop can do a lot for the drivers with no license. People with disabilities who can never be able to drive can also benefit from this, as well as the elderly and people with poor eyesight.

Self-driving cars can also be counted on in case of emergencies. If a driver, for example, experiences an asthma attack while driving and renders him incapable of driving, then the self-driving car will be able to take him to the nearest hospital.

Waymo proclaimed that its mission is to provide people with an easier and safer way to move around

One of the biggest applications of driverless technology is transporting people and goods. That’s why they are seen as ideal for delivery and ride-hailing services. Although expensive at first, the owner will eventually save on costs because he doesn’t have a human employee. In fact, Waymo already has its own ride-hailing service. This entered the testing phase way back in 2017.

>>> Also read:

• Self-driving car: 9 advantages for Filipino drivers.
•  5 reasons why people should embrace self-driving cars.

4. Where can I find Waymo?

The company already has testing locations in a couple of states in the US. These include Texas, Washington, California, Michigan, Arizona, and Georgia. Its most extensive tests are taking place in Arizona. The availability of Waymo self-driving cars depends largely on the local laws that govern autonomous vehicles.

Arizona is the location with the most friendly laws as far as autonomous vehicles go. As of now, this is the only place on Earth where you can ride a Waymo vehicle. Waymo’s Early Rider program kicked off in 2017 in Chandler, Arizona. The program’s members were then able to request a lift from Waymo. Whether it’s from home to school, work to grocery, Waymo can do it!

Waymo already has testing locations in a couple of states in the US

The company has plans to expand its ride-hailing services. But as of now, the curious Philippine car enthusiasts will just have to wait.