Waymo announced Wednesday that it will introduce robotaxis to Chicago and Charlotte as part of its ever-expanding push for self-driving cars.
Starting today, Waymo will begin manual mapping and early data collection to lay the foundation for operations in these cities. When Waymo enters a new city, it typically begins with months of manual driving and mapping to understand local road conditions, traffic patterns, and edge cases, then gradually introduces self-driving tests and eventually fully driverless driving.
Charlotte, with its suburban layout and mild climate, may be easier to use, but Chicago’s harsh winters, traffic jams and dense urban complexities will make it more difficult for Waymo. A successful operation there would strengthen Waymo’s case that its system is scalable nationwide. Waymo also deals another blow to upstate cities after New York withdrew a proposal to allow commercial robotaxi pilots in parts of the state.
The news comes the same week that Waymo began offering commercial driverless cars in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando, bringing the total number of cities to 10.
In addition to Chicago and Charlotte, Waymo is testing and planning to launch in cities including Denver, London, and Washington, D.C. Alphabet Inc.’s self-driving car company secured $16 billion in funding earlier this month to expand internationally.
