Waymo to Test Robotaxis on San Francisco Freeways

Waymo is launching tests of its driverless Robotaxis on San Francisco freeways to assess their performance and safety in real-world conditions

This week, Waymo intends to test its entirely autonomous vehicles on freeways in the San Francisco Bay Area without a human safety driver.

Initial testing will commence outside peak hour with “less than a handful” of vehicles, and its employees will serve as the first guinea pigs.

In March, Waymo received regulatory approval from California regulators to charge for autonomous transportation on the freeway, which is progress toward that goal.

The decision was made in conjunction with Waymo’s efforts to expand in San Francisco, which were bolstered by an additional $5 billion investment from Alphabet.

Waymo expanded its robotaxi service area by 10 square miles last week to encompass the localities that surround the city, such as Daly City, Broadmoor, and Colma.

TechCrunch recently reported that Waymo is increasing its efforts to facilitate transfer and drop-offs at San Francisco International Airport.