Waymo, a unit of Google parent Alphabet Inc, is one of several companies testing driverless vehicles in the US. But it's the first offering lifts to the public with no humans at the wheel who can take over in sticky situations. — AP
CHANDLER, Arizona: The annoyed shopper paced around and knocked on the windows of a minivan blocking him from leaving his Costco parking spot. He didn’t seem to notice, or care, that there was no one inside.
A colleague and I had called for the Waymo ride – our first in a fully driverless vehicle – and quickly encountered a hiccup: figuring out how to tell it to meet us at the curb.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Waymo, a unit of Google parent Alphabet Inc, is one of several companies testing driverless vehicles in the US. But it's the first offering lifts to the public with no humans at the wheel who can take over in sticky situations. — AP
A Waymo minivan arrives to pick up passengers for an autonomous vehicle ride in Mesa, Arizona. — AP
A Waymo minivan moves along a city street as an empty driver’s seat and a moving steering wheel drive passengers during an autonomous vehicle ride, as passengers view a detailed viewing screen, in Chandler, Arizona. — AP
While there are some low-speed driverless shuttle services in operation, Waymo is the first offering lifts to the public at roadway speeds with no human in the driver’s seat who can take over in sticky situations. — AP
Waymo started offering autonomous rides to a limited number of customers during 2019 in an early testing programme in Arizona. — AP
Amid the advances in technology lurk challenges that developers face as they race to bring autonomous cars to the masses: adapting the machinery to human behaviour – and getting passengers to feel at ease without a person behind the wheel. — AP
A Waymo minivan arrives to pick up passengers for an autonomous vehicle ride in Mesa, Arizona. — AP
A Waymo minivan arrives to pick up passengers for an autonomous vehicle ride, in Mesa, Arizona. — AP
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
