Waymo and the Road Ahead

Waymo is a self-driving technology company that began as a secret Google project in 2009. It stands for "a new way forward in mobility." It's mission is to make it safe and easy for people and things to get where they're going without needing a human driver. Instead of manufacturing cars, Waymo develops the hardware and software the powers autonomous vehicles. Since its launch, Waymo has driven over 20 million miles on public roads and over 20 billion miles in simulation. It's considered one of the most advanced self-driving companies in the world.

Waymo vehicles rely on a combination of sensors, software, and AI to navigate the roads. Lidar, light detection and ranging, is responsible for creating a 3D map of the vehicle's surroundings while dozens of cameras help detect traffic signals, pedestrians and obstacles. The radar tracks the speed and movement of nearby objects. The AI, which is like the brain of the car, interprets data in real time to make decisions like when to stop or change lanes.

Waymo operates in a few U.S. cities: Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin.

---

Deven's Reflections:

Recently, Waymo partnered with Uber offering a unique experience where some riders are getting picked up in fully driverless cars. This is a big step forward in autonomous technology, but also opens doors to an environmentally cleaner society. By using electric vehicles as taxis and ubers, there will be a drastic change in car emissions, especially in larger cities like New York City where there are more than 100,000 taxi's and ubers. As cities adopt this technology, it has the potential to make transportation more efficient and sustainable for everyone.