Waymo Expands Self-Driving Car Testing to 10 New Cities in 2025

Waymo is planning to bring its self-driving car technology to 10 new cities in 2025, according to a report by The Verge. This new testing phase will start in Las Vegas and San Diego, and will involve a mix of manual and autonomous vehicles.

Testing in New Cities

The testing phase is designed to collect data and test the self-driving system in new locations, regional driving habits, and unique weather patterns. Waymo plans to send around 10 vehicles to each new city, with the goal of identifying places that will challenge its system and provide valuable insights.

"We’re looking for places that are going to challenge our system and look very, very different," said Nick Rose, product manager for Waymo’s expansion efforts.

Testing in Las Vegas and San Diego

Las Vegas is known for its dense traffic and chaotic drop-off zones near hotels and casinos, making it an ideal location for testing the self-driving system. San Diego, on the other hand, is similar to locations where Waymo already operates, but the company wants to validate that the system performs well without prior driving information.

Additional Cities

Waymo plans to bring its self-driving car service to Miami, Austin, and Atlanta, in addition to the 10 new cities. The company has not announced the remaining cities, but it is clear that it needs to test its system in a variety of locations to ensure its readiness for primetime.

Importance of Testing in Multiple Cities

Testing in multiple cities is crucial for Waymo to account for unique traffic conditions and weather patterns, as well as inconsistencies that can trip up driverless systems. For example, fire trucks and ambulances may look slightly different across cities and states, which can cause issues for the self-driving system.

Waymo has not always had the best track record when it comes to emergency vehicle response, and testing in multiple cities will help the company to improve its performance in this area.

Recent Developments

Waymo recently started providing employees with access to fully autonomous rides on Los Angeles freeways, a key step towards expanding this capability to all riders. The company has also announced plans to test its driverless cars in Tokyo, but it is unclear if this counts as one of the 10 new cities.

Overall, Waymo’s expansion to 10 new cities in 2025 is an important step towards ensuring that its self-driving car technology is ready for primetime. By testing in multiple locations, the company can identify areas for improvement and refine its system to provide a safe and reliable experience for passengers.