Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has recently announced the details of its latest “generation 6” self-driving technology. This new driverless tech, which is being integrated into Geely Zeekr electric vehicles, is expected to be capable of handling a wider range of weather conditions without the need for as many expensive cameras and sensors on board. Waymo’s vice president of engineering, Satish Jeyachandran, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bring this new generation to market at a quicker pace compared to previous versions. He attributes this progress to advancements in machine learning technology and semiconductor performance.
Expansion of Waymo’s Commercial Robotaxi Service
Waymo first introduced its commercial robotaxi service in late 2018 in the United States. Initially, the company integrated its driverless systems into Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans and fully electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs. As part of its efforts to scale its existing service, Waymo One is currently operating in Sunbelt cities such as San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin, and Los Angeles. With around 50,000 paid driverless trips per week, primarily in San Francisco and Phoenix, Waymo has completed over 2 million trips to date.
Alphabet recently announced a new $5 billion investment in its autonomous vehicle unit, which originated as “project chauffeur” at Google in 2009. This capital is expected to support the scaling of Waymo’s operations, including the addition of the new robotaxis to its fleet following the completion of Generation 6 testing and validation. Jeyachandran mentioned that Waymo anticipates its existing Jaguar I-PACE and forthcoming Geely Zeekr vehicles will coexist.
Features of the Waymo-Zeekr
The upcoming Waymo-Zeekr is characterized by a more boxy design compared to the existing Waymo I-PACE SUVs. Despite having a similar footprint, the Zeekr offers a more accessible interior with features such as a low step, high ceiling, and increased legroom between seat rows. Waymo has continued to customize sensors and software including lidar, radar, and other technology, to give the Zeekr a comprehensive “360 view” for obstacle detection and avoidance. The sensors are equipped with wipers to maintain clarity by removing dirt and precipitation. In a bid to reduce costs, Waymo has decreased the number of cameras on board to 13 and lidar sensors to four.
Generation 6 technology is currently undergoing testing on public roads with professional drivers as a safety measure. Waymo is also conducting testing and validation in cities like Detroit, Buffalo, and New York to assess performance in diverse traffic and weather conditions. While commercial robotaxi services are operational in China by companies like Didi and Pony.ai, Waymo faces minimal competition in the U.S. GM-owned Cruise faced setbacks that temporarily halted its driverless vehicles, Uber and Ford discontinued previous driverless initiatives, and Tesla plans to introduce its “dedicated robotaxi” later this year.