Waymo One, Alphabet’s robotaxi service, has just announced a new milestone in the implementation of autonomous cars for the transport of people. A partnership with the Chinese automobile giant Geely.
The two companies have come together to develop a vehicle, which relies on an electric version of a Zeekr minivan and Waymo Driver, technology developed by the Alphabet subsidiary over the past decade.
Until then, the former Google subsidiary had used commercial cars tailored to its needs. This is how its service got off the ground during testing in the Phoenix suburbs.
However, the former young shoot that emerged from Google’s secret labs has been looking for some time to find one or more partners in the automotive industry to provide it with the necessary know-how and industrial resources.
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From this hardware and software platform, Waymo intends to build its solution over the next few years. transportation-as-a-service (TaaS). An autonomous vehicle, without driver or steering wheel, which thinks above all about the comfort of its users.
Thus, the ground is flat to facilitate getting on and off, as well as moving between the seats. Likewise, the car is low so as not to pose a problem for people with slightly reduced mobility, while the ceiling is high enough to avoid having to stoop too much to take its place. In the same vein, the doors are sliding, forwards and backwards to offer wide access.
Inside, Waymo and Geely plan to have reclining seats, screens and chargers within easy reach.
These fully autonomous cars are expected to be introduced in the United States in the next few years, if Waymo’s projects go according to plan. Waymo is currently testing its service in the Phoenix area as well as in California.
Source: Waymo