Alphabet’s Waymo announced plans on Wednesday to significantly expand the testing of its autonomous driving technology, reaching over 10 new cities in 2025. This expansion follows the successful adaptation of the Waymo Driver in several existing testing locations.
The company stated that its technology has been effectively adapting to diverse environments, prompting the expansion. Alongside ongoing tests in cities such as Truckee, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Upstate New York, and Tokyo, Waymo is set to test in cities including San Diego and Las Vegas, with the full list of new locations still forthcoming.
“During these trips, we’ll send a limited fleet of vehicles to each city, where trained human autonomous specialists will be behind the wheel at all times,” a Waymo spokeswoman confirmed.
The testing procedure will commence with manual driving in the most complex city areas, encompassing city centers and freeways.
According to The Verge, which initially reported the news, Waymo plans to deploy fewer than 10 vehicles per city, where they will be manually driven for approximately two months.
In December, Waymo revealed plans to extend its autonomous ride-hailing services to Miami, Florida. This addition signifies another step in the company’s strategy to gain a competitive advantage in the expanding autonomous vehicle market.
Despite these advancements, the firm is under scrutiny from safety regulators due to several incidents involving autonomous driving technology.
In October, Waymo reported the completion of a $5.6 billion funding round, spearheaded by its parent company, Alphabet, to support the expansion of its autonomous ride-hailing services.
