Waymo to Begin Testing Driverless Cars in Atlanta
Waymo, the driverless car division owned by Google’s parent company, announced Jan. 22 that it will bring its test program to metro Atlanta.
The Alphabet-owned business began mapping roads in the city last week, but had not yet released details about the testing.
Waymo uses self-driving cars, which in Atlanta are white Chrysler Pacifica vans, that operate by using 3D maps of the roads, curbs, signs and other features. The company is testing autonomous vehicles in 24 cities and plans to deploy its cars for ride-hailing in Arizona later this year. It has not yet said when Atlantans can expect to catch a ride in a driverless car.
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Unlike other self-driving cars on the market, Waymo does not require any human assistance behind the wheel. The company has been testing this technology since 2009.
Gov. Nathan Deal said Georgians are “thrilled to welcome Waymo to our state because fully self-driving vehicle technology holds tremendous potential to improve road safety.” Deal signed a bill in May that would allow self-driving cars to operate on public roads.
On Twitter, Waymo thanked Deal for the “warm welcome.”
Atlanta is a major hub for technology and innovation, and a natural fit for Waymo's testing program. Thanks to @GovernorDeal for the warm welcome! — Waymo (@Waymo) January 22, 2018
Hello ATL! Metro Atlanta is the next stop for Waymo's test program. Now that we have the world's first fully self-driving vehicles on public roads in AZ, we're looking to take our tech to more cities. pic.twitter.com/YFLvxkVMMd — Waymo (@Waymo) January 22, 2018
With Atlanta, Waymo has now officially tested in 25 cities across the U.S. That includes complex places such as the foggy hills of SF, the snowy streets of Michigan and the rainy roads of Kirkland, WA. pic.twitter.com/t7zaZ9lUCo — Waymo (@Waymo) January 22, 2018
