Waymo
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Waymo’s self-driving vehicles have racked up 10 million miles
Autonomous vehicle company Waymo has just completed 10 million miles of testing on public roads -- and by the end of the month it'll have clocked up seven billion miles in its virtual world. In a press release, Waymo CEO John Krafcik said that while the company has made "great strides" in its history so far, "the next 10 million will focus on turning our advanced technology into a service that people will use and love."
Engineer spends $6,000 invalidating Waymo's lidar patents
An engineer with no connection to the self-driving industry has spent $6,000 of his own money to stop Alphabet's self-driving car business Waymo from patenting key technology. Following a challenge filed by Eric Swildens, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rejected 53 out of 56 claims in Waymo's 936 patent. The reason for his action? He just "couldn't imagine the [lidar] circuit [described in the 936 patent] didn't exist prior," Ars Technica reported.
Alphabet puts down more roots in China with local Waymo office
Google's parent company Alphabet is continuing its push for a presence in China with a new Waymo subsidiary, based in Shanghai. Waymo – one of the world's leading autonomous car designers -- has confirmed it has set up a legal entity in the country and has people working there, but hasn't commented on its future plans.
Recommended Reading: Plz vote 4 me
Campaigns enter texting era with a plea: Will u vote 4 me? Kevin Roose, The New York Times Political candidates have a number of tools at their disposal to try and win your vote. Slick branding, TV commercials and social media ads are just the beginning. The New York Times dives into how campaigns in 2018 are hitting us up via the good ol' text message and the questions that arise from that method of outreach.
Waymo test will provide rides to and from public transportation
Waymo announced today that it's partnering with the Phoenix area's regional public transportation authority, Valley Metro, in order to explore whether self-driving vehicles are an effective way to get people to and from public transportation. Starting in August, Valley Metro employees will be able to hail a Waymo ride via the company's app for their first- and last-mile transit connections. Waymo said in its announcement that as cities grow, "the 'last mile' -- how people connect to public transportation efficiently, affordably and safely -- is one of the main challenges communities struggle to solve." With its Valley Metro partnership, Waymo aims to test how autonomous vehicles can help fill those mobility gaps.
Waymo partners with Walmart for grocery pick-up in Phoenix
Walmart's latest move into tech is a partnership with Waymo. In Phoenix later this week, the pair will begin a pilot program where customers can order groceries on the retailer's website, get a ride to and from the store in a Waymo car and then snag a discount on their groceries. More than that, Waymo is teaming up with Avis Budget Group to pick up and drop off customers when they need a rental car.
Waymo's first Jaguar I-Pace EVs hit Bay Area roads
At an event before the New York Auto Show back in March, Waymo unveiled the first luxury vehicle it's adding to its nascent self-driving service's fleet: The new I-Pace, Jaguar Land Rover's answer to Tesla's Model X. The Alphabet company finally got its first handful of prototypes of the electric SUVs, and is testing them on Bay Area streets to gauge their performance for hardware and software design requirements. Eventually, the company will integrate the I-Pace into its forthcoming self-driving service, which is set to debut in 2020.
Recommended Reading: Self-driving cars still have a lot to learn
Self-driving cars are headed toward an AI roadblock Russell Brandom, The Verge It's no secret that the auto industry is racing towards production of fully autonomous vehicles. A number of companies say they can achieve the feat in the next year or so; however, critics say it may be a while longer before you're able to completely relax during your commute. The Verge explains why AI experts argue self-driving cars could be years or maybe decades away from being able reliably avoid accidents.
Uber, Waymo and others to study the 'human impact' of self-driving cars
A group of companies have just formed a new organization that will study the impact self-driving cars could have on humans, like the millions that stand to lose their jobs to autonomous vehicles in the future. The Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity (PTIO) is being formed as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit and includes Ford, Toyota, Daimler, Waymo, Uber, Lyft, FedEx and the American Trucking Association among its members. The Verge reports that in its first six months, PTIO wants to start developing a "well-rounded and data-based understanding of the impact and implications of autonomous vehicles on the future of work," collect expertise, goals and concerns from interested parties and "foster awareness of existing and near-term career opportunities for workers during the transition to a new autonomous vehicle-enabled economy."
Uber reportedly increased self-driving simulations after fatal crash
Uber allegedly "neglected" simulation testing for its autonomous vehicles according to The Information. Following March's fatal accident between one of Uber's self-driving vehicles and a pedestrian, that's apparently changed, after ceasing all on-road testing. The publication's sources claim that there was a dearth of investment in the simulation software, and lots of incompatible code between the autonomous vehicle software and simulation software Uber is developing internally. However, the sources said there isn't a direct link between the lack of investment and the fatal accident involving one of Uber's autonomous taxis and a pedestrian.
Apple hires ex-Waymo engineer for self-driving project
Apple may not be as loud about its plans to create a self-driving car as Google or Uber, but the company is still in the game. According to The Information, Apple has just hired Jamie Waydo, a prominent engineer from Waymo's autonomous vehicle unit.
Waymo wants to bring self-driving taxis to Europe
Waymo hasn't quite launched its self-driving taxi service in Phoenix and San Francisco yet, but it's already settings its sights on another continent. The Alphabet-owned company's CEO, John Krafcik, has revealed that Waymo aims to make its way to Europe after launching in the US later this year. He made the announcement at the Automotive News Europe Congress in Turin, Italy, where he also said that if the company does enter the European market, it will likely be with the help of a partner.
California will allow autonomous cars to pick up passengers
California is launching two pilot programs that will allow autonomous vehicles to pick up passengers in the state, the San Francisco Examiner reports. One will let companies pick up passengers with their self-driving cars as long as a safety driver is behind the wheel. The other will allow for passenger pickup without a driver in the autonomous vehicle -- though the company will be required to have humans monitoring the cars remotely. "I am pleased to launch these pilot programs as part of the evolution of the passenger transportation system in California," California Public Utilities Commissioner Liane Randolph said in a statement. "Our state is home to world-class innovative companies and I look forward to these services being offered with the high level of safety that we expect from our passenger service providers."
Waymo will add 62,000 Chrysler hybrid minivans to its fleet
We heard in January that Waymo was expanding its agreement with Chrylser for 'thousands' of additional hybrid minivans, which would start being delivered in late 2018. Apparently, that was an understatement. Today, news emerged that the automaker will supply the autonomous car company with 62,000 its family vehicles.
Uber could soon use Waymo's self-driving cars
Uber's autonomous car program has faced significant challenges in recent times, but CEO Dara Khosrowshahi believes it'll be rival Waymo that helps get it back on track. Speaking at Recode's Code Conference in California on Wednesday, Khosrowshahi said that he'd "welcome Waymo to put cars in our network."
Senators investigate safety procedures for autonomous cars
Just a day after the NTSB released its preliminary findings on the Uber crash in Arizona, senators Edward J. Markey and Richard Blumenthal began an investigation into safety protocols for driverless car testing. In a letter sent to major auto manufacturers involved in autonomous driving systems, the senators asked several specific questions to find out what kind of procedures the companies have to ensure the safety of others during testing.
Waymo tells law enforcement what to do in case of emergency
In a decade or so, law enforcement could already be used to dealing with incidents and accidents involving self-driving vehicles. For now, Waymo wants to make sure cops, firefighters, paramedics and other first responders know how to handle their driverless vehicles, so the company put together a 41-page law enforcement interaction protocol. According to IEEE Spectrum, the Alphabet-owned company has submitted the protocol to the California DMV as part of its application to test fully driverless vehicles -- ones with no human tester behind the wheel -- on its roads. And to summarize the booklet's contents (PDF), Waymo wants authorities to prioritize calling the company, immobilizing the vehicle and protecting its autonomous tech in case of emergencies.
Tesla's key safety representative leaves for Waymo
Tesla's executive team isn't done with turmoil following the loss of its Autopilot chief and its engineering lead's sabbatical. The electric car maker's "primary technical contact" with American safety regulators, Matthew Schwall, has left the company to join Waymo. The Alphabet-owned firm didn't specify his role, but a Wall Street Journal source said he would tackle a "variety" of self-driving safety issues.
Waymo shows how its self-driving cars navigate snow
Ask people in chillier climates if they're looking forward to self-driving cars and they'll probably just laugh. The technology has an easy time in ever-pleasant locales like California, but snow is a nightmare that obscures lanes, cars and entire roads. Waymo knows how to tackle that problem, though. In a presentation at the Google I/O keynote, the company visualized how its vehicles safely navigate a winter wonderland.
Recommended Reading: Tesla and Waymo's self-driving data quests
How Tesla and Waymo are tackling a major problem for self-driving cars: Data Sean O'Kane, The Verge In order for cars to drive themselves, the vehicles and their systems require loads of data. And gathering those details are one of the main goals for companies developing the autonomous cars that will eventually take us to the office. The Verge takes a look at how two of the main players in the self-driving space -- Tesla and Waymo -- are gathering gobs of data in very different ways.
