Self Driving Cars
Waymo Driver
It's Complicated
Do people enjoy driving or do they simply want to get there? I don't mind driving, but I wouldn't go so far as to say I love it. Thinking about it more, I believe I enjoy looking about more than keeping tabs on the other vehicles around me.
Waymo is a leading technology company in the development of autonomous driving. It began as the Google Self-Driving Car Project and is now focused on making it safe and easy for people and things to get to where they're going. Waymo's autonomous driving technology, called Waymo Driver, is designed to operate without human intervention. It has been tested in public since 2010 and has logged over 20 million miles on public roads.
Waymo also offers a commercial self-driving taxi service called Waymo One. Riders can use the Waymo One app to request a self-driving car, just like they would with Uber or Lyft. Once the car arrives, they can sit back and relax while it takes them to their destination. The route is selected based on Google Maps suggestions.
Waymo is also developing self-driving technology for other vehicles, such as delivery vans and Class 8 tractor-trailers. The company believes the technology is a good fit for vehicles carrying freight to and from distribution centers.
What vehicle does Waymo One use for its taxi service? How about a Jaguar I-PACE electric.
Before
Source: Jaguar
After
Source: Waymo
Let me state the obvious, the car in the first image is awesome, the car in the second is well, geeky. You have to ask yourself how would it will feel riding in a car like this, sitting in the back seat, traveling down the road without a driver? Awkward for many, but this is where we are.
The technology added to the car is just incredible. Aside from the sensors mounted to the exterior, in the trunk is a liquid cooled server-grade computer which analyzes the stream of data and makes "intelligent" decisions on how to drive. In case you are wondering, this is AI in action. There's a backup in case of system failure and all of this is protected by a Faraday cage to prevent electromagnetic interference. The software is trained in the Google cloud from the data collected by all of the vehicles on the road.
Availability
Phoenix, Arizona: Waymo One is available in a limited area of Phoenix, including Downtown Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, and Chandler.
San Francisco, California: Waymo One is currently in a limited beta testing phase in San Francisco.
Austin, Texas: Waymo One is currently in a limited beta testing phase in Austin.
Los Angeles, California: Join the waiting list.
What's the Cost
The cost of using Waymo in Phoenix varies depending on the length of the ride. The base fare is $1.50, and then there is a charge of $0.25 per minute. For example, a 10-minute ride would cost $1.50 + $2.50 = $4.00. There is also a small booking fee of $0.50. Waymo also offers a subscription service called Waymo Pass. With Waymo Pass, you can pay a monthly fee of $200 and get unlimited rides up to 100 miles per day.
Here are some of the factors that can affect the cost of a Waymo ride in Phoenix:
Time of day: Rides are typically more expensive during peak hours, such as rush hour.
Demand: Rides are also more expensive when demand is high, such as on weekends or during special events.
Location: Rides are typically more expensive in areas with a lot of traffic, such as downtown Phoenix.
Overall, the cost of using Waymo in Phoenix is comparable to the cost of using other ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Lyft (no tips required). However, Waymo is still in the early stages of development, so the costs may change in the future.
Sociological Implications
The arrival of Uber and other ride-hailing services led to a decline in ridership for taxis in New York City. This was due to a number of factors, including the lower fares offered by Uber, the convenience of using a mobile app to hail a ride, and the perception taxis were less safe than Uber vehicles.
The rise of Uber also led to increased competition for taxi drivers and some road rage. In the past, taxis had a monopoly on the for-hire car market in New York City. However, with the arrival of Uber and other ride-hailing services, taxi drivers now had to compete with a wider variety of options.
Uber was initially met with a great deal of public skepticism, with many people questioning its safety and legality. The company was also accused of being "predatory" and taking advantage of its drivers.
Source: Waymo Via
The trucking industry is ripe for disruption and Waymo and others are trying to crack this egg. Waymo has had many technical successes but is now facing some of the same challenges as Uber in the early days with the acceptance of autonomous trucks.
On May 5, a Waymo Via truck was driving autonomously on Interstate 45 in Texas, monitored by a human safety driver. The truck was hauling a trailer northbound towards Dallas. At 3:11 p.m., near the town of Ennis, the truck was in the far right lane when a passing truck and trailer combo entered its lane.
The Waymo Via truck "safety driver" told police the other semi truck changed lanes aggressively and forced the Waymo truck and trailer off the road. The driver was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries. The other truck fled the scene
Although the situation was bad, it could have been worse if the Waymo Via truck had crossed the median and entered the opposing lane to meet oncoming traffic.
Rising shipping demand is putting a strain on the logistics industry and a growing shortage of drivers is making it difficult to meet demand. This has created an opportunity for companies like Waymo Via. Waymo Via is partnering with Uber Freight and others to add their technology to their platforms to deploy autonomous trucks across their networks. These partnerships will help to accelerate the adoption of autonomous trucking and address the challenges facing the industry.
Conclusion
Autonomous driving trucks are already here and are poised to disrupt the trucking industry. These trucks can travel long distances without human intervention, do not require breaks, and are ideal for well-defined routes between distribution centers. They will be used to haul everything from US mail, Fedex packages, to Amazon products and will go largely unnoticed by the general public.
However, the autonomous taxi is a different animal as it is more personal and there are some details to be worked out. For example, what is the right size? Two, four, or six passengers? Gas or electric? But, just like the trucking industry the interest is there.
Waymo competitors include:
Cruise: Cruise is a subsidiary of General Motors, and it is another well-funded autonomous driving company. Cruise has been testing its self-driving cars in San Francisco, California, and it is expected to begin commercial operations in the city in the near future.
Argo AI: Argo AI is a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Volkswagen Group, and it is one of the most promising autonomous driving startups. Argo AI has been testing its self-driving cars in Miami, Florida, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it is expected to begin commercial operations in the next few years.
Pony.ai: Pony.ai is a Chinese autonomous driving company that is developing self-driving cars for both the general public and the transportation of goods. Pony.ai has been testing its self-driving cars in California and Guangzhou, China, and it is expected to begin commercial operations in the next few years.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't add Tesla to the equation. Tesla Autopilot, which is available today, is a suite of ADAS (advanced driver-assistance system) features offered by Tesla. Although very capable, it does not meet the definition of a fully autonomous driving system as Tesla drivers are still required to pay attention to the road and be ready to take over at any time. In fact, Tesla has been criticized for the way it markets Autopilot, with some people arguing that it gives drivers a false sense of security.
Despite the reported fatalities and criticisms, Tesla Autopilot is a popular feature among Tesla owners. Some owners argue it is a great way to reduce stress and fatigue on long road trips, and it can also help to improve safety by preventing accidents caused by driver distraction.
Although autonomous driving may not be making headlines, it's going to be our future.
