Waymo

Google's development of self-driving technology began on January 17, 2009,{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/johnkrafcik/status/1085944196186304512|title=Our #tenyearchallenge has been building the world's most experienced driver. Thanks to two visionary @Google characters for getting us started & to the @Waymo One riders in #Phoenix we're serving. HBD #Waymo pic.twitter.com/Ew4fdXjM7c|last1=Krafcik|first1=John|date=January 17, 2019|website=John Krafcik's official Twitter account|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123193629/https://twitter.com/johnkrafcik/status/1085944196186304512|archive-date=January 23, 2019|access-date=January 17, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Primary source inline|date=July 2024}} at Google X lab, run by co-founder Sergey Brin.{{cite news |title=Google's self-driving-car project becomes a separate company: Waymo |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-google-waymo-self-driving-20161213-story.html |agency=Associated Press |date=December 13, 2016 |access-date=June 13, 2018}} The project was launched at Google by Sebastian Thrun, the former director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (SAIL) and Anthony Levandowski, founder of 510 Systems and Anthony's Robots.{{Cite magazine|title=God Is a Bot, and Anthony Levandowski Is His Messenger {{!}} Backchannel|language=en-us|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/story/god-is-a-bot-and-anthony-levandowski-is-his-messenger/|access-date=July 1, 2020|issn=1059-1028}}

The initial software code and artificial intelligence (AI) design of the effort started before the team worked at Google, when Thrun and 15 engineers, including Dmitri Dolgov, Mike Montemerlo, Hendrik Dahlkamp, Sven Strohband, and David Stavens, built Stanley and Junior, Stanford's entries in the 2005 and 2007 DARPA Challenges. Later, aspects of this technology were used in a digital mapping project for SAIL called VueTool.{{Cite news|last=Higgins|first=Jack Nicas and Tim|date=May 23, 2017|title=Google vs. Uber: How One Engineer Sparked a War|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-a-star-engineer-sparked-a-war-between-google-and-uber-1495556308|access-date=July 1, 2020|issn=0099-9660}}{{cite news|author=John Markoff|date=October 9, 2010|title=Google Cars Drive Themselves, in Traffic|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/science/10google.html|access-date=October 11, 2010}} In 2007, Google acqui-hired the entire VueTool team to help advance Google's Street View technology.{{Cite news|title=Fury Road: Did Uber Steal the Driverless Future From Google?|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-03-16/fury-road-did-uber-steal-the-driverless-future-from-google?sref=BeOevass|access-date=July 1, 2020|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|date = March 16, 2017}}{{cite web |author=Sebastian Thrun |date=October 9, 2010 |title=What we're driving at |url=http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-were-driving-at.html |access-date=October 11, 2010 |publisher=The Official Google Blog}}{{cite news |title=The PayPal Mafia of Self-Driving Cars Has Been at It a Decade |last1=Hull |first1=Dana |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-10-30/it-s-been-10-years-since-robots-proved-they-could-drive |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |date=October 30, 2017 |access-date=June 13, 2018}}

As part of Street View development, 100 Toyota Priuses were outfitted with Topcon digital mapping hardware developed by 510 Systems.{{Cite magazine|last=Duhigg|first=Charles|title=Did Uber Steal Google's Intellectual Property?|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/10/22/did-uber-steal-googles-intellectual-property|access-date=July 1, 2020|magazine=The New Yorker|date=October 15, 2018|language=en-us}}

In 2008, the Street View team launched project Ground Truth,{{Cite magazine|last=Miller|first=Greg|date=December 8, 2014|title=The Huge, Unseen Operation Behind the Accuracy of Google Maps|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/2014/12/google-maps-ground-truth/|access-date=July 1, 2020|issn=1059-1028}} to create accurate road maps by extracting data from satellites and street views.{{cite web | url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55a5a07ee4b0d4522cac0322/t/582f48d5f5e23137ed567a3d/1479493848415/GISday16_GoogleMaps.pdf | access-date=2023-11-06 | title=Project Ground Truth: Accurate Maps via Algorithms and Elbow Grease | first=Megan |last=Goddard}}

In February 2008, a Discovery Channel producer for the documentary series Prototype This! phoned Levandowski.{{Cite magazine|last=Bilger|first=Burkhard|title=Has the Self-Driving Car Arrived at Last?|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/11/25/auto-correct|access-date=July 1, 2020|magazine=The New Yorker|date=November 18, 2013|language=en-us}} The producer requested to borrow Levandowski's Ghost Rider, the autonomous two-wheeled motorcycle Levandowski's Berkeley team had built for the 2004 DARPA Grand Challenge{{Cite web|date=August 19, 2016|title=How a robot lover pioneered the driverless car, and why he's selling his latest to Uber|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/aug/19/self-driving-car-anthony-levandowski-uber-otto-google|access-date=July 1, 2020|website=The Guardian|language=en}} that Levandowski had later donated to the Smithsonian.{{Cite web|title="Ghostrider" Robot Motorcycle|url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1332301|access-date=July 1, 2020|website=National Museum of American History|language=en}} Since the motorcycle was not available, Levandowski offered to retrofit a Toyota Prius as a self-driving pizza delivery car for the show.

As a Google employee, Levandowski asked Larry Page and Thrun whether Google was interested in participating in the show. Both declined, citing liability issues. However, they authorized Levandowski to move forward with the project, as long as it was not associated with Google.{{Cite web|last=McCullagh|first=Declan|title=Robotic Prius takes itself for a spin around SF|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/robotic-prius-takes-itself-for-a-spin-around-sf/|access-date=July 1, 2020|publisher=CNET|language=en}} Within weeks Levandowski founded Anthony's Robots to do so. He retrofitted the car with light detection and ranging technology (lidar), sensors, and cameras. The Stanford team (Stanley (vehicle)) provided its code base to the project. The ensuing episode depicting Pribot delivering pizza across the San Francisco Bay Bridge under police escort aired in December 2008.{{Cite magazine|title=How Anthony Levandowski Put Himself at the Center of an Industry|language=en-us|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/story/anthony-levandowski-put-himself-center-industry/|access-date=July 1, 2020|issn=1059-1028}}{{Cite web|title=The Unknown Start-up That Built Google's First Self-Driving Car|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-unknown-startup-that-built-googles-first-selfdriving-car|access-date=July 1, 2020|website=IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News|date=November 19, 2014|language=en|quote=Though Google has portrayed Thrun as its "godfather" of self-driving, a review of the available evidence suggests that the motivating force behind the company's program was actually Levandowski}}{{Cite web|title=Automated Pizza Delivery|url=https://www.discovery.com/shows/prototype-this/episodes/automated-pizza-delivery|access-date=July 1, 2020|website=Discovery|language=en}}

The project success led Google to greenlight Google's self-driving car program in January 2009. In 2011, Google acquired 510 Systems (co-founded by Levandowski, Pierre-Yves Droz and Andrew Schultz), and Anthony's Robots for an estimated US$20 million.{{Cite web |last=Ohnsman |first=Alan |title=Anthony Levandowski, The Fallen Self-Driving Tech Star Who Triggered Waymo-Uber Legal Battle, Ordered To Pay Google $179 Million |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2020/03/05/anthony-levandowski-the-fallen-self-driving-tech-star-who-triggered-waymo-uber-legal-battle-ordered-to-pay-google-179-million/ |access-date=July 1, 2020 |website=Forbes |language=en}} Levandowski's vehicle and hardware, and Stanford's AI technology and software, became the nucleus of the project.

File:Waymo self-driving car front view.gk.jpg

After almost two years of road testing with seven vehicles, the New York Times revealed the existence of Google's project on October 9, 2010. Google announced its initiative later the same day.{{Cite web |date=March 20, 2020 |title=Anthony Levandowski pleads guilty to one count of trade secrets theft under plea deal |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/19/anthony-levandowski-pleads-guilty-to-one-count-of-trade-secrets-theft-under-plea-deal/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320163936/https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/19/anthony-levandowski-pleads-guilty-to-one-count-of-trade-secrets-theft-under-plea-deal/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 20, 2020 |access-date=June 30, 2020 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}

Starting in 2010, lawmakers in various states expressed concerns over how to regulate autonomous vehicles. A related Nevada law went into effect on March 1, 2012.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-nevada-google-idUSLNE84701320120508| title=Google gets first self-driven car license in Nevada|author=Mary Slosson |work=Reuters| date=May 8, 2012| access-date=May 9, 2012}} Google had been lobbying for such laws.{{cite web |date=June 25, 2011 |title=Nevada enacts law authorizing autonomous (driverless) vehicles |url=http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/06/ab511-20110625.html |access-date=June 25, 2011 |publisher=Green Car Congress}}{{cite news|url=https://blogs.forbes.com/alexknapp/2011/06/22/nevada-passes-law-authorizing-driverless-cars/|title=Nevada Passes Law Authorizing Driverless Cars|author=Alex Knapp|work=Forbes|date=June 22, 2011|access-date=June 25, 2011}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/science/11drive.html?_r=1&emc=eta1|title=Google Lobbies Nevada To Allow Self-Driving Cars|author=John Markoff|work=The New York Times|date=May 10, 2011|access-date=May 11, 2011}} A modified Prius was licensed by the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in May 2012.{{Cite web|last=Harris|first=Mark|title=How Google's Autonomous Car Passed the First U.S. State Self-Driving Test|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/how-googles-autonomous-car-passed-the-first-us-state-selfdriving-test|access-date=July 1, 2020|website=IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News|date=September 10, 2014|language=en}} The car was "driven" by Chris Urmson with Levandowski in the passenger seat. This was the first US license for a self-driven car.

In January 2014{{cite news |author=Billy Davies |date=January 24, 2014 |title=The future of urban transport: The self-driving car club |work=zodiacmedia.co.uk |url=http://www.zodiacmedia.co.uk/blog/the-future-of-urban-transport-the-self-driving-car-club |access-date=January 24, 2014}} Google was granted a patent for a transportation service funded by advertising that included autonomous vehicles as a transport method.{{cite patent|country=US|number=8630897 B1|title=Transportation-aware physical advertising conversions|status=patent|pubdate=2014-01-14|fdate=2014-01-11|invent1=Luis Ricardo Prada Gomez|invent2=Andrew Timothy Szybalski Sebastian Thrun|invent3=Philip Nemec|invent4=Christopher Paul Urmson|assign1=Google Inc}} In late May, Google revealed an autonomous prototype, which had no steering wheel, gas pedal, or brake pedal.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqSDWoAhvLU&list=PLcNF6Ihx2JoUoNKe4PxLqEcZMM0QW2yG- |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/CqSDWoAhvLU |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |url-status=live|title=A First Drive|date=May 27, 2014|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=http://recode.net/2014/05/27/googles-new-self-driving-car-ditches-the-steering-wheel/|title=Google Introduces New Self Driving Car at the Code Conference – Re/code|author=Liz Gannes|work=Re/code|date=May 27, 2014}} In December, Google unveiled a Firefly prototype that was planned to be tested on San Francisco Bay Area roads beginning in early 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_27190285/googles-goofy-new-self-driving-car-sign-things |title=Google's 'goofy' new self-driving car a sign of things to come |work=Mercury News |date=December 22, 2014 |access-date=December 22, 2014}}{{cite news |title=Waymo retires Firefly test cars, focuses on Pacificas |last1=Lynch |first1=Jim |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/mobility/2017/06/13/waymo-retires-firefly-test-cars-focuses-pacificas/102818318/ |newspaper=The Detroit News |date=June 13, 2017 |access-date=June 27, 2018}} File:Google driverless car at intersection.gk.jpgIn 2015, Levandowski left the project. In August 2015, Google hired former Hyundai Motor executive, John Krafcik, as CEO.{{Cite news|last=Wakabayashi|first=Daisuke|date=December 13, 2016|title=Google Parent Company Spins Off Self-Driving Car Business|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13/technology/google-parent-company-spins-off-waymo-self-driving-car-business.html|access-date=June 30, 2020|issn=0362-4331}} In fall 2015, Google provided "the world's first fully driverless ride on public roads" in Austin, Texas to Steve Mahan, former CEO of the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center, who was a legally blind friend of principal engineer Nathaniel Fairfield.{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/waymo/scenes-from-the-street-5bb77046d7ce|title=On the road with self-driving car user number one|first=Waymo|last=Team|date=December 13, 2016|website=Medium}} It was the first entirely autonomous trip on a public road. It was not accompanied by a test driver or police escort.{{Cite news|last1=III|first1=Ashley Halsey|last2=Laris|first2=Michael|date=December 13, 2016|title=Blind man sets out alone in Google's driverless car|language=en-US|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/blind-man-sets-out-alone-in-googles-driverless-car/2016/12/13/f523ef42-c13d-11e6-8422-eac61c0ef74d_story.html|access-date=July 2, 2020|issn=0190-8286}} The car had no steering wheel or floor pedals.{{cite web |url=http://www.complex.com/life/2016/12/blind-man-rides-self-driving-google-car-by-himself |title=Google Confirms First Ever Driverless Self-Driving Car Ride |first=Debbie |last=Encalada |publisher=Complex Media |date=December 14, 2016}} By the end of 2015, Project Chauffeur had covered more than a million miles.

Google spent $1.1 billion on the project between 2009 and 2015. For comparison, the acquisition of Cruise Automation by General Motors in March 2016 was for $500 million, and Uber's acquisition of Otto in August 2016 was for $680 million.{{cite news |author=Mark Harris |date=September 15, 2017 |title=Google Has Spent Over $1.1 Billion on Self-Driving Tech |work=IEEE spectrum |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/google-has-spent-over-11-billion-on-selfdriving-tech}}

In May 2016, Google and Stellantis announced an order of 100 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans to test the self-driving technology.{{cite news |author=Tommaso Ebhardt |date=May 3, 2016 |title=Fiat, Google Plan Partnership on Self-Driving Minivans |newspaper=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-03/fiat-google-said-to-plan-partnership-on-self-driving-minivans}} In December 2016, the project changed its name to Waymo and span out of Google as part of Alphabet.{{Cite web |title=Journey |url=https://waymo.com/journey/ |website=Waymo}} The name was derived from "a new way forward in mobility".{{cite web |last1=Etherington |first1=Darrell |last2=Kolodny |first2=Lora |title=Google's self-driving car unit becomes Waymo |date=December 13, 2016 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/13/googles-self-driving-car-unit-spins-out-as-waymo/}} In May 2016, the company opened a {{Convert|53000|sqft|abbr=out|adj=on}} technology center in Novi, Michigan.{{Cite web |last=Krafcik |first=John |date=October 27, 2017 |title=Michigan is Waymo's winter wonderland |url=https://medium.com/waymo/michigan-is-waymos-winter-wonderland-9b3cffbb9bab |access-date=September 15, 2018 |website=Medium.com}}

In 2017, Waymo sued Uber for allegedly stealing trade secrets. Waymo began testing minivans without a safety driver on public roads in Chandler, Arizona, in October 2017.{{cite news |title=Waymo to start driverless ride sharing in Phoenix area this year |last1=Randazzo |first1=Ryan |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/tech/2018/01/30/waymo-start-driverless-ride-sharing-phoenix-area-year/1078466001/ |newspaper=Arizona Republic |date=January 30, 2018 |access-date=June 13, 2018}} In 2017, Waymo unveiled new sensors and chips that are less expensive to manufacture, cameras that improve visibility, and wipers to clear the lidar system.{{Cite web |last=Bergen |first=Mark |date=May 16, 2017 |title=Waymo Tests Hardware to Ease Passenger Fears of Driverless Cars |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-16/waymo-s-next-challenge-making-driverless-passengers-feels-safe |access-date=June 13, 2018 |publisher=Bloomberg L.P.}} At the beginning of the self-driving car program, they used a $75,000 lidar system from Velodyne.{{cite web |author=Dallon Adams |date=April 26, 2017 |title=Everything you need to know about Waymo's self-driving car project |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/everything-you-need-to-know-waymo/ |access-date=June 13, 2018 |publisher=Digital Trends}} In 2017, the cost decreased approximately 90 percent, as Waymo converted to in-house built lidar.{{cite web |author=Ron Amadeo |date=January 9, 2017 |title=Google's Waymo invests in LIDAR technology, cuts costs by 90 percent |url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/01/googles-waymo-invests-in-lidar-technology-cuts-costs-by-90-percent/ |access-date=June 13, 2018 |publisher=Ars Technica}} Waymo has applied its technology to various cars including the Prius, Audi TT, Fiat Chrysler Pacifica, and Lexus RX450h.{{cite magazine |author=Damon Lavrinc |date=April 16, 2012 |title=Exclusive: Google Expands Its Autonomous Fleet With Hybrid Lexus RX450h |url=https://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/04/google-autonomous-lexus-rx450h/ |magazine=Wired |access-date=April 24, 2012}}{{Cite news |last=Gibbs |first=Samuel |date=November 7, 2017 |title=Google sibling Waymo launches fully autonomous ride-hailing service |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/07/google-waymo-announces-fully-autonomous-ride-hailing-service-uber-alphabet |access-date=December 3, 2017 |issn=0261-3077}} Waymo partners with Lyft on pilot projects and product development.{{cite news |last1=Isaac |first1=Mike |date=May 14, 2017 |title=Lyft and Waymo Reach Deal to Collaborate on Self-Driving Cars |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/14/technology/lyft-waymo-self-driving-cars.html |access-date=June 13, 2018}} Waymo ordered an additional 500 Pacifica hybrids in 2017.

File:Waymo Jaguar I-Pace in San Francisco 2023 dllu.jpg

In March 2018, Jaguar Land Rover announced that Waymo had ordered up to 20,000 of its I-Pace electric SUVs at an estimated cost of more than $1 billion.{{cite news |last1=Higgins |first1=Tim |last2=Dawson |first2=Chester |date=March 27, 2018 |title=Waymo Orders Up to 20,000 Jaguar SUVs for Driverless Fleet |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/waymo-orders-up-to-20-000-jaguar-suvs-for-driverless-fleet-1522159944 |access-date=June 13, 2018}}{{Cite web |last=Topham |first=Gwyn |date=March 27, 2018 |title=Jaguar to supply 20,000 cars to Google's self-driving spin-off Waymo |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/27/waymo-self-driving-taxis-jaguar-land-rover |access-date=March 28, 2018 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} In late May 2018, Alphabet announced plans to add up to 62,000 Pacifica Hybrid minivans to the fleet.{{cite web |author=Andrew J. Hawkins |date=January 30, 2018 |title=Waymo strikes a deal to buy 'thousands' more self-driving minivans from Fiat Chrysler |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/30/16948356/waymo-google-fiat-chrysler-pacfica-minivan-self-driving |access-date=June 13, 2018 |publisher=The Verge}}{{cite web |last1=della Cava |first1=Marco |title=Waymo will add up to 62,000 FCA minivans to self-driving fleet |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2018/05/31/waymo-add-up-62-000-fca-minivans-self-driving-fleet/659160002/ |access-date=June 1, 2018 |website=USA Today |language=en}} Also in May 2018, Waymo established Huimo Business Consulting subsidiary in Shanghai.{{Cite news |last1=Bergen |first1=Mark |last2=Spears |first2=Lee |date=August 24, 2018 |title=Waymo's Shanghai Subsidiary Gives Alphabet Another Route Back to China |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-23/waymo-forms-china-subsidiary-as-parent-alphabet-eyes-return |access-date=August 24, 2018}}

In April 2019, Waymo announced plans for vehicle assembly in Detroit at the former American Axle & Manufacturing plant, bringing between 100 and 400 jobs to the area. Waymo used vehicle assembler Magna to turn Jaguar I-PACE electric SUVs and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans into Waymo Level 4 autonomous vehicles.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-waymo-selfdriving-idUSKCN1RZ1IZ|title=Waymo picks Detroit factory for self-driving fleet, to be operational by mid-2019|last=Sage|first=Alexandria|date=April 23, 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=April 23, 2019|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/23/waymo-picks-detroit-factory-to-build-self-driving-cars/|title=Waymo picks Detroit factory to build self-driving cars|last=Korosec|first=Kirsten|website=TechCrunch|date=April 23, 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=April 23, 2019}} Waymo subsequently reverted to retrofitting existing models rather than a custom design.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2019/08/19/google-spin-out-waymo-rules-building-self-driving-cars/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2019/08/19/google-spin-out-waymo-rules-building-self-driving-cars/ |archive-date=January 12, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Google spin-out Waymo rules out building its own self-driving cars|last=Rudgard|first=Olivia|date=August 19, 2019|work=The Telegraph|access-date=August 20, 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}

In March 2020, Waymo Via was launched after the company's announcement that it had raised $2.25 billion from investors.{{Cite web |last=LeBeau |first=Phil |date=March 2, 2020 |title=Waymo launches delivery service after raising $2.25 billion |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/02/waymo-launches-delivery-service-after-raising-2point25-billion.html |access-date=March 3, 2020 |publisher=CNBC |language=en}} In May 2020, Waymo raised an additional $750 million.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Daniel |date=May 13, 2020 |title=Waymo Drives an Additional $750 million in Funding |url=https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/05/13/waymo-drives-an-additional-750-million-in-funding.aspx |access-date=July 1, 2020 |website=The Motley Fool |language=en}} In July 2020, the company announced an exclusive partnership with auto manufacturer Volvo to integrate Waymo technology.{{Cite web|last=Silver|first=David|title=Waymo And Volvo Form Exclusive Self-Driving Partnership|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidsilver/2020/06/29/waymo-and-volvo-form-exclusive-self-driving-partnership/|access-date=July 1, 2020|website=Forbes|language=en}}{{Cite news|date=June 25, 2020|title=Volvo Cars, Waymo partner to build self-driving vehicles|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-waymo-volvo-autonomous-idUSKBN23W2V0|access-date=July 1, 2020}}

In April 2021, Krafcik was replaced by two co-CEOs: Waymo's COO Tekedra Mawakana and CTO Dmitri Dolgov.{{Cite web|last=Nieva|first=Richard|date=April 2, 2021|title=Waymo CEO John Krafcik to step down from self-driving car company|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/waymo-ceo-john-krafcik-to-step-down-from-self-driving-car-company/|access-date=April 4, 2021|publisher=CNET|language=en}} Waymo raised $2.5 billion in another funding round in June 2021,{{cite news |last1=Sebastian |first1=Dave |title=Waymo Raises $2.5 Billion in Funding Round |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/waymo-raises-2-5-billion-in-funding-round-11623854400 |access-date=July 13, 2021 |website=The Wall Street Journal |date=June 16, 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Alamalhodaei |first1=Aria |title=Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving arm, raises $2.5B in second external investment round |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/16/waymo-alphabets-self-driving-arm-raises-2-5b-in-second-external-investment-round/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=July 13, 2021 |date=June 16, 2021 }} with total funding of $5.5 billion.{{Cite web |last=Fannin |first=Rebecca |date=May 21, 2022 |title=Where the billions spent on autonomous vehicles by U.S. and Chinese giants is heading |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/21/why-the-first-autonomous-vehicles-winners-wont-be-in-your-driveway.html |access-date=2022-05-22 |publisher=CNBC}} Waymo launched a consumer testing program in San Francisco in August 2021.

In May 2022, Waymo started a pilot program seeking riders in downtown Phoenix, Arizona.{{Cite web |last1=Randazzo |first1=Ryan |title=Waymo to start offering autonomous rides to public in central, downtown Phoenix |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/tech/2022/05/10/waymo-offer-autonomous-vehicle-rides-phoenix/9711015002/ |access-date=May 11, 2022 |work=The Arizona Republic |date=May 10, 2022}}{{Cite journal |last1=Blye |first1=Andy |title=Waymo opens autonomous service to select Phoenix passengers |journal=Phoenix Business Journal |date=May 10, 2022 |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2022/05/10/waymo-trusted-tester-phoenix.html |access-date=May 11, 2022|url-access=subscription}} In May 2022, Waymo announced that it would expand the program to more areas of Phoenix.{{Cite web |last=Valencia |first=Peter |title=Waymo to launch self-driving cars program at Phoenix Sky Harbor in next few weeks |url=https://www.azfamily.com/2022/05/18/waymo-launch-self-driving-cars-program-phoenix-sky-harbor-next-few-weeks/ |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=Arizona's Family |date=May 18, 2022 |language=en}} In 2023, coverage of the Waymo One area was increased by {{Convert|45|sqmi|abbr=out}}, expanding to include downtown Mesa, uptown Phoenix, and South Mountain Village.{{Cite news |last=Vanek |first=Corina |date=July 11, 2023 |title=Waymo expands coverage area in Phoenix. Here's what to know to hail a robotaxi |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/tech/2023/07/11/waymo-one-expands-phoenix/70399131007/ |work=The Arizona Republic }}{{Cite news |last=Rice |first=Wills |date=July 9, 2023 |title=Waymo adding 45 square miles of metro Phoenix car service |url=https://ktar.com/story/5514377/waymo-adding-45-square-miles-of-metro-phoenix-car-service/ |publisher=KTAR-FM}}{{Cite news |last=Mixer |first=Kelly |date=July 15, 2023 |title=Waymo One expands another 45 square miles in metro Phoenix |url=https://www.citysuntimes.com/business/waymo-one-expands-another-45-square-miles-in-metro-phoenix/article_00d1b6f4-2289-11ee-9c37-3ff82179aa99.html |work=City Sun Times}}

In June 2022, Waymo announced a partnership with Uber, under which Waymo will integrate its autonomous technology into Uber's freight truck service.{{cite web |last1=Hawkins |first1=Andrew J. |title=Waymo is teaming up with Uber on autonomous trucking because time really heals all wounds |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/7/23156674/waymo-via-uber-freight-autonomous-truck-deal |website=The Verge |date=June 7, 2022 |access-date=June 7, 2022}} Plans to expand the program to Los Angeles were announced in late 2022.{{Cite web |last=Elias |first=Jennifer |title=Waymo says it plans to launch its self-driving service in Los Angeles |date=October 19, 2022 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/19/waymo-says-it-plans-to-launch-a-ride-hailing-service-in-los-angeles.html |access-date=2022-12-15 |publisher=CNBC |language=en}} On December 13, 2022, Waymo applied for the final permit necessary to operate fully autonomous taxis, without a backup driver present, within the state of California.{{Cite news |last=Dave |first=Paresh |date=December 13, 2022 |title=Waymo seeks permit to sell self-driving car rides in San Francisco |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/waymo-seeks-permit-sell-self-driving-car-rides-san-francisco-2022-12-13/ |access-date=2022-12-15}}

In January 2023, The Information reported that Waymo staff were among those affected by Google's layoffs of around 12,000 workers. TechCrunch reported that Waymo was set to kill its trucking program.{{Cite web |last=Bellan |first=Rebecca |date=January 24, 2023 |title=Waymo lays off staff as Alphabet announces 12,000 job cuts |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/24/waymo-lays-off-staff-as-alphabet-announces-12000-job-cuts/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}

In July 2024, Waymo began testing its sixth-generation robotaxis which are based on electric vehicles by Chinese automobile company Zeekr, developed in a partnership first announced in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/04/technology/waymo-expansion-alphabet.html|title=Waymo's Robot Taxis Are Almost Mainstream. Can They Now Turn a Profit?|work=The New York Times |date=September 4, 2024 |last1=Tan |first1=Eli }}{{Cite web |title=Waymo and China's Zeekr partner to develop driverless taxis |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2021/12/29/waymo-and-china039s-zeekr-partner-to-develop-driverless-taxis |access-date=December 29, 2021 |website=The Star |date=December 29, 2021 |language=en}} They were anticipated to reduce costs, at a time when Waymo was operating at a loss.

In October 2024, Waymo closed a $5.6 billion funding round led by Alphabet, aimed at expanding its robotaxi services, bringing its total capital to over $11 billion. Around that time, the New York Times described Waymo as being "far ahead of the competition", in particular after Cruise had to suspend its operations after an accident in 2023.

File:Google's Lexus RX 450h Self-Driving Car.jpg retrofitted by Google for its self-driving car project (2012)]]

Google has invested heavily in matrix multiplication and video processing hardware such as the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) to augment Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs) and Intel central processing units (CPUs).{{Cite news |title=Intel is collaborating with Waymo on self-driving car technology |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/intel-waymo-self-driving-car-technology-2017-9 |access-date=December 12, 2017 |work=Business Insider |language=en}} Much of this is kept as trade secrets, but transformer technology is likely involved.{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/11/waymo-shows-off-its-futuristic-transportation-as-a-service-vehicle/| access-date=2023-11-06 |title=Waymo shows off its next truly driverless prototype car| date=November 17, 2022 }}

Waymo manufactures a suite of self-driving hardware developed in-house.{{cite news |title=Google sibling Waymo launches fully autonomous ride-hailing service |last1=Gibbs |first1=Samuel |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/07/google-waymo-announces-fully-autonomous-ride-hailing-service-uber-alphabet |newspaper=The Guardian |date=November 7, 2017 |access-date=June 13, 2018}} This includes sensors and hardware-enhanced vision system, radar, and lidar. Sensors give 360-degree views while lidar detects objects up to {{Convert|300|m}} away. Short-range lidar images objects near the vehicle, while radar is used to see around other vehicles and track objects in motion.

Riders push a button to "start ride,” and have optional "help", "lock", and “pull over" buttons, if needed. The ride usually completes without pressing any button after starting the ride. The car’s steering wheel turns as the car makes turns, and a passenger may sit in the right-front passenger seat, if desired. Passengers see on a screen some of what the car’s sensors see, including pedestrians.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

Waymo's deep-learning architecture VectorNet predicts vehicle trajectories in complex traffic scenarios. It uses a graph neural network to model the interactions between vehicles and has demonstrated state-of-the-art performance on several benchmark datasets for trajectory prediction.{{cite web |url=https://www.futurecar.com/3929/Waymo-Develops-a-Machine-Learning-Model-to-Predict-the-Behavior-of-Other-Road-Users-for-its-Self-Driving-Vehicles |first=Eric |last=Walz |title=Waymo Develops a Machine Learning Model to Predict the Behavior of Other Road Users for its Self-Driving Vehicles |date=June 20, 2020 |access-date=March 31, 2023 |archive-date=March 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331124840/https://www.futurecar.com/3929/Waymo-Develops-a-Machine-Learning-Model-to-Predict-the-Behavior-of-Other-Road-Users-for-its-Self-Driving-Vehicles |url-status=dead }}

Waymo Carcraft is a virtual world in which Waymo simulates driving conditions.{{cite news |title=Inside Waymo's Secret World for Training Self-Driving Cars |last1=Madrigal |first1=Alexis C. |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/08/inside-waymos-secret-testing-and-simulation-facilities/537648/ |newspaper=The Atlantic |date=August 23, 2017 |access-date=June 13, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/23/waymo-virtual-world-carcraft/ |title='Carcraft' is Waymo's virtual world for autonomous vehicle testing |author=Timothy J. Seppala |date=August 23, 2017 |work=Engadget |access-date=June 13, 2018}} The simulator was named after the video game World of Warcraft. With Carcraft, 25,000 virtual self-driving cars navigate through models of Austin, Texas; Mountain View, California; Phoenix, Arizona, and other cities.

As of 2024, Waymo's fifth-generation robotaxis were based on customized Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicles that according to Dolgov adds up to $100,000 to vehicle costs. Other costs include technicians that monitor rides, service personnel, and real estate for storing and charging the vehicles.

File:New Waymo.jpg

File:Jurvetson Google driverless car trimmed.jpg modified to operate as a Google driverless car, navigating a test course{{cite web |date=April 30, 2011 |title=The Test Driven Google Car |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDCwODblPMI&ab_channel=idels1 |access-date=April 30, 2011 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}} (2011)]]

In 2009, Google began testing its self-driving cars in the San Francisco Bay Area.{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/12/waymos-self-driving-chrysler-pacifica-begins-testing-in-san-francisco/ |title=Waymo's self-driving Chrysler Pacifica begins testing in San Francisco |author=Darrell Etherington |date=January 12, 2018 |publisher=TechCrunch |access-date=June 13, 2018}}

By December 2013, Nevada, Florida, California, and Michigan had passed laws permitting autonomous cars.Muller, Joann. [https://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2012/09/26/with-driverless-cars-once-again-it-is-california-leading-the-way/ "With Driverless Cars, Once Again It Is California Leading The Way"], Forbes, September 26, 2012 A law proposed in Texas allowed testing.[http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=83R&Bill=HB2932 "Legislative Session: 83(R) Bill: HB 2932"], Texas Legislature Online, May 30, 2013Whittington, Mark. [https://news.yahoo.com/law-proposed-texas-require-licensed-driver-self-driving-193000149.html "Law Proposed in Texas to Require Licensed Driver in Self-Driving Vehicles"], Yahoo! News, Fri, March 8, 2013

In June 2015, Waymo announced that their vehicles had driven over {{convert|1000000|mi|abbr=on}} and that in the process they had encountered 200,000 stop signs, 600,000 traffic lights, and 180 million other vehicles.{{Cite web|url=https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?passive=1209600&osid=1&continue=https://plus.google.com/+SelfDrivingCar/posts/iMHEMH9crJb&followup=https://plus.google.com/+SelfDrivingCar/posts/iMHEMH9crJb|title=Anmelden – Google Konten|website=accounts.google.com}} Prototype vehicles were driving in Mountain View.Murphy, Mike. [http://qz.com/437788/googles-self-driving-cars-are-now-on-the-streets-of-california/ "Google's self-driving cars are now on the streets of California"], Quartz, June 25, 2015 Speeds were limited to {{convert|25|mph|abbr=on}} and had safety drivers aboard.{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/google-self-driving-car-gets-pulled-over-going-too-slowly-n462671 |title=Google Self-Driving Car Gets Pulled Over — For Going Too Slowly |last1=Smith |first1=Alexander |last2=Hansen |first2=Shelby |date=November 13, 2015 |publisher=NBC News |access-date=November 13, 2015 |quote=A Google self-driving car was pulled over by police because the vehicle was traveling too slowly, officials said. The officer in Mountain View, California, noticed traffic backing up behind the prototype vehicle, which was traveling 24 mph in a 35 mph zone, the force said.}} Google took its first driverless ride on public roads in October 2015, when Mahan took a 10-minute ride around Austin in a Google "pod car" with no steering wheel or pedals.{{cite news |last1=Davies |first1=Lex |date=November 7, 2017 |title=Wymo has taken the human out of its self-driving cars |newspaper=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/story/waymo-google-arizona-phoenix-driverless-self-driving-cars/ |access-date=June 13, 2018}} Google expanded its road-testing to Texas, where regulations did not prohibit cars without pedals or a steering wheel.{{Cite web|title = California's Red Tape Slows Google's Self-Driving Roll| date=November 16, 2015 |url = https://www.yahoo.com/autos/californias-red-tape-slows-googles-self-driving-150534398.html|publisher = Yahoo!|access-date = November 16, 2015}}

In 2016, road testing expanded to Phoenix and Kirkland, Washington, which has a wet climate.{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/12/waymos-self-driving-chrysler-pacifica-begins-testing-in-san-francisco/ |title=Google expanding self-driving vehicle testing to Phoenix, Arizona |author=David Shepardson |date=April 7, 2016 |publisher=TechCrunch |access-date=June 13, 2018}} {{As of|2016|06}}, Google had test driven its fleet of vehicles in autonomous mode a total of {{convert|1725911|mi|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|title=Google Self-Driving Car Project Monthly Report – June 2016|url=https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//selfdrivingcar/files/reports/report-0616.pdf|access-date=July 15, 2016|archive-date=December 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213211930/http://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//selfdrivingcar/files/reports/report-0616.pdf|url-status=dead}} In August 2016 alone, their cars traveled a "total of 170,000 miles; of those, 126,000 miles were autonomous (i.e., the car was fully in control)".{{Cite web|url=https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//selfdrivingcar/files/reports/report-0816.pdf|title=Google Self-Driving Car Project Monthly Report August 2016|access-date=September 19, 2016|archive-date=December 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203061557/https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//selfdrivingcar/files/reports/report-0816.pdf|url-status=dead}}

In 2017, Waymo reported a total of 636,868 miles covered by the fleet in autonomous mode, and the associated 124 disengagements, for the period from December 1, 2015, through November 30, 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-industry-services/autonomous-vehicles/|title=Autonomous Vehicles|website=California DMV}} In November Waymo altered its Arizona testing by removing safety drivers. The cars were geofenced within a {{Convert|100|sqmi|adj=on}} region surrounding Chandler, Arizona.

In 2017, Waymo began testing its level 4 cars in Arizona to take advantage of good weather, simple roads, and permissive laws with minimal disclosure requirements.

In 2017, Waymo began testing in Michigan.{{cite news |last1=della Cava |first1=Marco |date=October 31, 2017 |title=Waymo shows off the secret facility where it trains self-driving cars |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2017/10/31/waymo-self-driving-cars-go-school-here/815627001/ |access-date=June 13, 2018 |newspaper=USA Today}} Also, in 2017, Waymo unveiled its Castle test facility in Central Valley, California. Castle, a former airbase, has served as the project's training course since 2012.

In March 2018, Waymo announced its plans for experiments with the company's self-driving trucks delivering freight to Google data centers in Atlanta, Georgia.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/9/17100518/waymo-self-driving-truck-google-atlanta|title=Waymo's self-driving trucks will start delivering freight in Atlanta|work=The Verge|access-date=March 9, 2018}} In October 2018, the California Department of Motor Vehicles issued a permit for Waymo to operate cars without safety drivers. Waymo was the first company to receive a permit that allowed day and night testing on public roads and highways. Waymo announced that its service would include Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Los Altos, and Palo Alto.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/30/18044670/waymo-fully-driverless-car-permit-california-dmv|title=Waymo gets the green light to test fully driverless cars in California|work=The Verge|access-date=November 1, 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/waymo/a-green-light-for-waymos-driverless-testing-in-california-a87ec336d657|title=A Green Light for Waymo's Driverless Testing in California|last=Team|first=Waymo|date=October 30, 2018|website=Medium|access-date=November 1, 2018}} In July 2019, Waymo received permission to transport passengers.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/07/02/waymo-is-now-allowed-to-transport-passengers-in-its-self-driving-vehicles-on-california-roads/|title=Waymo is now allowed to transport passengers in its self-driving vehicles on California roads|website=TechCrunch|date=July 2, 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=September 25, 2019}}

In December 2018, Waymo launched Waymo One, transporting passengers. The service used safety drivers to monitor some rides, with others provided in select areas without them. In November 2019, Waymo One became the first autonomous service worldwide to operate without safety drivers.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Timothy |date=November 2, 2019 |title=Waymo let a reporter ride in a fully driverless car – Waymo has been touting fully driverless operation for almost two years. |url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2019/11/waymo-finally-let-a-reporter-ride-in-a-fully-driverless-car/ |access-date=August 5, 2020 |website=Ars Technica}}{{Cite web |last=Hawkins |first=Andrew |date=December 9, 2019 |title=Waymo's driverless car: ghost-riding in the back seat of a robot taxi |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/9/21000085/waymo-fully-driverless-car-self-driving-ride-hail-service-phoenix-arizona |access-date=August 5, 2020 |website=The Verge}}{{Cite web |last=Piper |first=Kelsey |date=February 28, 2020 |title=It's 2020. Where are our self-driving cars? – In the age of AI advances, self-driving cars turned out to be harder than people expected. |url=https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2020/2/14/21063487/self-driving-cars-autonomous-vehicles-waymo-cruise-uber |access-date=September 14, 2020 |website=Vox}}

By January 2020, Waymo had completed {{Convert|20000000|mi|sp=us|spell=in}} of driving on public roads.{{Cite web |last=Team |first=Waymo |date=October 10, 2018 |title=Where the next 10 million miles will take us |url=https://medium.com/waymo/where-the-next-10-million-miles-will-take-us-de51bebb67d3 |access-date=November 1, 2018 |website=Waymo}}{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Timothy |date=January 7, 2020 |title=Waymo is way, way ahead on testing miles – that might not be a good thing |url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/01/waymo-is-way-way-ahead-on-testing-miles-that-might-not-be-a-good-thing/ |access-date=July 22, 2020 |website=Ars Technica}}

In August 2021, commercial Waymo One test service started in San Francisco, beginning with a "trusted tester" rollout.{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=August 25, 2021 |title=Waymo expands to San Francisco with public self-driving test – Confidential testing starts in SF, featuring Waymo's 5th-gen Jaguar I-Pace cars. |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/08/waymo-expands-to-san-francisco-with-public-self-driving-test/ |access-date=August 26, 2021 |website=Ars Technica}}

In March 2022, Waymo began offering rides for Waymo staff in San Francisco without a driver.{{Cite news |author1=Nico Grant |author2=Edward Ludlow |date=March 30, 2022 |title=Waymo, Chasing Cruise, Plans Fully Driverless Rides in San Francisco |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-30/google-s-waymo-to-offer-public-fully-driverless-rides-in-san-francisco |work=Bloomberg News |access-date=March 31, 2022 }}

{{As of|2024|October}}, Waymo is offering 100,000 paid rides per week across its Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles markets.{{Cite news |last1=Bobrowsky |first1=Meghan |last2=Kruppa |first2=Miles |date=October 18, 2024 |title=How San Francisco Learned to Love Self-Driving Cars. Just last year, residents wanted to get rid of robotaxis. Now locals and tourists can't get enough. |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/waymo-san-francisco-self-driving-robotaxis-uber-244feecf |access-date=October 22, 2024 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}

In December 2024, Waymo announced its first international expansion with testing in Tokyo, Japan in the neighborhoods of Shinjuku, Shibuya, Minato, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō in partnership with Nihon Kotsu and Japan's GO taxi app.

As of March 2025, Waymo is offering 200,000 paid rides per week in its existing markets, including Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

In March 2025, Waymo expanded its commercial robotaxi services to Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas. The Silicon Valley rollout included Mountain View, Palo Alto, Los Altos, and parts of Sunnyvale, marking the company’s first official service in the region. Meanwhile, in Austin, Waymo partnered with Uber, allowing riders to hail its self-driving vehicles through the Uber app.{{Cite web |last=Hawkins |first=Andrew J. |date=2025-03-04 |title=Waymo is now available exclusively on Uber in Austin |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/623302/waymo-uber-austin-robotaxi-app-launch |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}} The expansion is part of Waymo’s broader growth strategy, as the company continues scaling its autonomous ride-hailing operations. On March 25, Waymo announced it will launch a commercial robotaxi service in Washington D.C. in 2026, pending regulatory approval.{{Cite web |last=Bellan |first=Rebecca |date=2025-03-25 |title=Waymo to launch robotaxi service in Washington D.C. in 2026 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/25/waymo-to-launch-robotaxi-service-in-washington-d-c-in-2026/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} The company is currently operating a small test fleet in the capital and plans to work with local policymakers to allow fully driverless vehicles on public roads.

As of April 2025, Waymo’s robotaxi program is operating in Miami’s Downtown, Brickell, Edgewater, Wynwood, Midtown and Design District. Additionally, preparatory testing is taking place in Coral Gables.. In Tokyo, Waymo is launching its preparatory testing in Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, and Kōtō.{{cite web |url= https://movemnt.net/tokyo-prepares-to-welcome-waymos-self-driving-taxi-service/ |title= Tokyo prepares to welcome Waymo's self-driving taxi service |date=April 22, 2025 |last=Dawes |first=Grace |website=MoveMnt |archive-date=April 25, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250425002619/https://movemnt.net/tokyo-prepares-to-welcome-waymos-self-driving-taxi-service/ }} And in Atlanta, Waymo has announced its intent to launch robotaxi services during Summer 2025.{{cite web |title=Waymo and Uber Set to Launch Robotaxi Service in Atlanta This Summer |url= https://digitalmarketreports.com/news/37198/waymo-and-uber-set-to-launch-robotaxi-service-in-atlanta-this-summer/ |website=Digital Market Reports |last=Ong |first=Hilary |date=April 18, 2025 |access-date=April 24, 2025 |archive-date=April 25, 2025 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20250425000803/https://digitalmarketreports.com/news/37198/waymo-and-uber-set-to-launch-robotaxi-service-in-atlanta-this-summer/}}

Waymo regularly publishes safety reports.{{cite news |title=Waymo gives federal officials a detailed safety report on self-driving vehicles |last1=Laris |first1=Michael |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/waymo-is-first-company-to-deliver-federal-officials-a-detailed-self-driving-safety-report/2017/10/12/1f9a207e-af73-11e7-be94-fabb0f1e9ffb_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 23, 2017 |access-date=June 13, 2018}} Waymo is required by the California DMV to report the number of incidents where the safety driver took control for safety reasons. Some incidents were not reported when simulations indicated that the car would have stopped safely on its own.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/12/google-self-driving-cars-mistakes-data-reports |title=Google reports self-driving car mistakes: 272 failures and 13 near misses|first=Mark|last=Harris|date=January 12, 2016|work=The Guardian}} In 2023, Waymo claimed only 3 crashes with injuries over 7.1 million miles driven, nearly twice as safe as a human driver.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Timothy B. |date=December 20, 2023 |title=7.1 million miles, 3 minor injuries: Waymo's safety data looks good |url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/12/human-drivers-crash-a-lot-more-than-waymos-software-data-shows/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}} A 2025 peer-reviewed study by Waymo researchers found that collisions with bicycles and motorcycles were 82% less frequent for Waymo cars than for human drivers, and that collisions with pedestrians were 92% less frequent.{{cite news |last1=Shaban |first1=Bigad |last2=Carroll |first2=Jeremy |title=Waymo says its driverless cars are better than humans at avoiding crashes with bikers, pedestrians |url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/waymo-driverless-cars-safety-record/3858460/ |access-date=11 May 2025 |work=NBC Bay Area |date=1 May 2025}}

By July 2015, Google's 23 self-driving cars had been involved in 14 minor collisions on public roads.{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/googles-autonomous-car-injuries-blame-the-human/|title=Google's autonomous car injuries: Blame the human|author=Charlie Osborne|publisher=ZDNet }} Google maintained that, in all but one case, the vehicle was not at fault because the cars were either driven manually or the driver of another vehicle was at fault.{{cite web|author=Urmson|first=Chris|title=The View from the Front Seat of the Google Self-Driving Car|url=https://medium.com/backchannel/the-view-from-the-front-seat-of-the-google-self-driving-car-46fc9f3e6088|work=Medium|date=January 20, 2017 }}{{cite news|author=JOHN MARKOFF|date=October 9, 2010|title=Google Cars Drive Themselves, in Traffic|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/science/10google.html|access-date=August 12, 2012}}{{cite web|date=August 5, 2011|title=Human Driver Crashes Google's Self Driving Car|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/googles-self-driving-cars-get-in-their-first-accident-2011-8|access-date=May 4, 2013|newspaper=Business Insider}}

By July 2021, the NHTSA had found 150 crashes by Waymo. Under NHTSA rules, crashes were reported if the system was in use in the prior 30 seconds, though most crashes did not have injuries.{{Cite news |last=Parker |first=Jordan |date=August 21, 2023 |title=Here's how many Waymo and Cruise vehicles have been in crashes in past 2 years |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/waymo-cruise-driverless-cars-18304792.php |work=San Francisco Chronicle}}

A Waymo robotaxi killed a dog in San Francisco while in "autonomous mode" in May 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/07/waymo-car-kills-dog-self-driving-robotaxi-san-francisco|title=Self-driving Waymo car kills dog amid increasing concern over robotaxis|date=June 7, 2023|work=The Guardian}}

In February 2024, a driverless Waymo robotaxi struck a cyclist in San Francisco.{{cite news |last1=Mishra |first1=Disha |last2=Rajan |first2=Gnaneshwar |title=Waymo robotaxi accident with San Francisco cyclist draws regulatory review |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/driverless-waymo-car-hits-cyclist-san-francisco-causes-minor-scratches-2024-02-07/ |access-date=February 8, 2024 |work=Reuters |date=February 7, 2024}} Later that same month, Waymo issued recalls for 444 of its vehicles after two hit the same truck being towed on a highway.{{Cite web |date=February 15, 2024 |title=Waymo issues recall after 2 of its vehicles strike the same pickup truck |url=https://apnews.com/article/waymo-google-selfdriving-recall-software-eb492a89b32789cacd0b6a18dee9aaf9 |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Cano |first=Ricardo |date=February 14, 2024 |title=Waymo recalls robotaxi software after collisions in Phoenix |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/tech/article/waymo-recall-collisions-18667463.php |work=San Francisco Chronicle}}{{Cite news |last=Shepardson |first=David |date=February 15, 2024 |title=Waymo recalls 444 self-driving vehicles over software error |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/waymo-updates-software-over-400-recalled-vehicles-nhtsa-2024-02-15/ |work=Reuters}}

By the end of 2024, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had received 835 reports{{Cite web |title="Standing General Order on Crash Reporting {{!}} NHTSA" |url=https://www.nhtsa.gov/laws-regulations/standing-general-order-crash-reporting |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=NHTSA}} documenting 696 incidents involving Waymo vehicles.{{Cite web |title=Waymo Accidents {{!}} NHTSA Crash Statistics (2021-2024) |url=https://www.damfirm.com/waymo-accident-statistics.html |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=DAM Firm |language=en-US}}

On January 19, 2025, a Tesla traveling at {{Convert|98|mph|kph|abbr=on}} in San Francisco struck multiple vehicles, including an unoccupied Waymo car. The crash resulted in the death of 27-year-old Mikhael Romanenko and his dog, with seven others injured. The Tesla driver was arrested on charges including vehicular manslaughter.{{Cite news |date=2025-01-22 |title=Victim in deadly 7-car SF crash involving Tesla and Waymo identified |url=https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/victim-in-deadly-7-car-sf-crash-involving-tesla-and-waymo-identified/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |work=KRON4 |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Mishanec |first=Nora |date=January 21, 2025 |title=What we know about the 'mass casualty' S.F. crash that killed 1 and injured 7 others |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/crash-tesla-waymo-injuries-driver-arrest-20047538.php |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250124143531/https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/crash-tesla-waymo-injuries-driver-arrest-20047538.php |archive-date=2025-01-24 |access-date=2025-02-11 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}}

Waymo recalled 1,212 vehicles running on its fifth-generation automated driving software in May 2025, due to a software glitch causing some cars to collide with roadway barriers.{{Cite web |last=Sophia |first=Deborah |date=2025-05-14 |title=Waymo recalls majority of its self-driving vehicles due to software glitch |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/alphabets-waymo-recalls-over-1200-vehicles-after-collisions-with-roadway-2025-05-14/ |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Reuters}}

Waymo operates in some of its testing markets, such as Chandler, Arizona, at L4 autonomy with no one sitting behind the steering wheel, sharing roadways with other drivers and pedestrians.{{cite web |author=Darrell Etherington |date=November 7, 2017 |title=Waymo now testing its self-driving cars on public roads with no one at the wheel |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/07/waymo-now-testing-its-self-driving-cars-on-public-roads-with-no-one-at-the-wheel/ |access-date=June 13, 2018 |publisher=TechCrunch}} Waymo's earlier testing focused on areas without harsh weather, extreme density, or complicated road systems, but it has moved on to test under new conditions.{{cite web |author=Alan Ohnsman |date=March 2, 2018 |title=Waymo Is Millions Of Miles Ahead In Robot Car Tests; Does It Need A Billion More? |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2018/03/02/waymo-is-millions-of-miles-ahead-in-robot-car-tests-does-it-need-a-billion-more/ |access-date=June 13, 2018 |work=Forbes}} As a result, beginning in 2017, Waymo began testing in areas with harsher conditions, such as its winter testing in Michigan.

In 2014, a critic wrote in the MIT Technology Review that unmapped stoplights would cause problems with Waymo's technology and the self-driving technology could not detect potholes. Additionally, the lidar technology cannot spot some potholes or discern when humans, such as a police officer, signal the car to stop, the critic wrote.{{cite web | url=http://www.technologyreview.com/news/530276/hidden-obstacles-for-googles-self-driving-cars/ | title=Hidden Obstacles for Google's Self-driving Car | author=Lee Gomes | date=August 28, 2014 | access-date=October 6, 2014 | archive-date=March 16, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316001705/http://www.technologyreview.com/news/530276/hidden-obstacles-for-googles-self-driving-cars/ | url-status=dead }} Waymo has worked to improve how its technology responds in construction zones.{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/9/17307156/google-waymo-driverless-cars-deep-learning-neural-net-interview |title=Inside Waymo's strategy to grow the best brains for self-driving cars |author=Alex Castro |date=May 9, 2018 |publisher=The Verge |access-date=July 3, 2018}}{{cite news |url=https://www.citylab.com/life/2014/04/first-look-how-googles-self-driving-car-handles-city-streets/8977/ |title=The first look at how Google's self-driving car handles city streets |author=Eric Jaffe |newspaper=Bloomberg.com |date=April 28, 2014 |publisher=CityLab |access-date=July 3, 2018}}

California regulators do not require Waymo to disclose every incident involving erratic behavior in its fleet. In the first five months of 2023, San Francisco officials said they had logged more than 240 incidents in which a Cruise or Waymo vehicle might have created a safety hazard.{{Cite web |last=Liedtke |first=Michael |date=August 5, 2023 |title=Recalling a wild ride with a robotaxi named Peaches as regulators mull San Francisco expansion plan |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/recalling-wild-ride-robotaxi-named-peaches-regulators-mull-102044826 |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=ABC News |language=en}}

In 2021, it was noted that Waymo cars kept routing through the Richmond District of San Francisco, with up to 50 cars each day driving to a dead end street before turning around.{{Cite news |last=Pruitt-Young |first=Sharon |date=October 16, 2021 |title=Self-driving Waymo cars gather in a San Francisco neighborhood, confusing residents |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/10/16/1046752123/self-driving-cars-waymo-san-francisco |publisher=NPR}} In 2023, ABC7 News Bay Area posted a video of a journalist taking a ride in a Waymo vehicle, which stopped at a green light and dropped the journalist at the wrong stop twice, despite support intervention.{{Cite web |date=June 29, 2023 |title=Journalist documents wild ride inside Waymo self-driving car in SF |url=https://abc7news.com/self-driving-cars-san-francisco-robo-taxi-waymo-cruise-car/13442069/ |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=ABC7 San Francisco |language=en}}

In 2023, the San Francisco group Safe Street Rebel used a practice called "coning" to trap Waymo and Cruise cars with traffic cones as a form of protest after claiming that the cars had been involved in hundreds of incidents.{{Cite web |last=Kerr |first=Dana |date=August 26, 2023 |title=Armed with traffic cones, protesters are immobilizing driverless cars |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/08/26/1195695051/driverless-cars-san-francisco-waymo-cruise |publisher=NPR}} During the 2024 Lunar New Year in San Francisco Chinatown, a mob of vandals attacked, graffitied, and set fire to a Waymo car. No one was injured.{{Cite news |last=Javaid |first=Maham |date=February 12, 2024 |title=San Francisco crowd sets self-driving car on fire |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/02/12/waymo-set-on-fire-san-francisco/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite web |last=Quintana |first=Sergio |date=February 13, 2024 |title=Authorities work to identify people who set Waymo car on fire in San Francisco |url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-francisco/waymo-car-fire-san-francisco/3452091/ |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=NBC Bay Area |language=en-US}} In 2024, passengers during a Waymo ride described an attack by an onlooker who attempted to cover the car's sensors.{{Cite web |last=Pena |first=Luz |date=February 8, 2024 |title=SF couple describes feeling 'trapped' riding in Waymo driverless car that was being attacked |url=https://abc7news.com/waymo-sf-attacked-self-driving-car-incidents/14397184/ |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=ABC7 San Francisco |language=en}}

In 2024, the city attorney of San Francisco attempted to sue to prevent expansion of driverless vehicles including Waymo into San Francisco.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-01-24 |title=SF sues state regulators for robotaxi expansion |url=https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/transit/san-francisco-sues-cpuc-for-authorizing-waymo-expansion/article_7ebe569a-bb03-11ee-9ca3-ff53bee30f57.html |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=San Francisco Examiner |language=en}} San Mateo County government soon after also sent a letter to regulators opposing expansion to its county.{{Cite web |date=February 15, 2024 |title=San Mateo County opposes Waymo's driverless-car expansion |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/15/san-mateo-county-opposes-waymos-driverless-car-expansion/ |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=The Mercury News |language=en-US}}

In May 2024, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into potential flaws in Waymo vehicles, focusing on 31 incidents that included Waymo vehicles ramming into a closing gate, driving on the wrong side of the road, and at least 17 crashes or fires.{{Cite news |last1=Thadani |first1=Trisha |last2=Duncan |first2=Ian |date=May 24, 2024 |title=Major robotaxi firms face federal safety investigations after crashes |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/05/24/all-major-robotaxi-firms-are-facing-federal-safety-investigations/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}

In August of 2024, residents of San Francisco's SoMa district began to complain about noise pollution from Waymo vehicles honking at each other in a local parking lot. Residents reported that the car horns could be heard daily, with varying levels of activity, usually peaking at around 4 AM and during evening rush hour. The honking appears to have been triggered by the self-driving cars backing in and out of the lot.{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Benj |date=2024-08-13 |title=Self-driving Waymo cars keep SF residents awake all night by honking at each other |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/08/self-driving-waymo-cars-keep-sf-residents-awake-all-night-by-honking-at-each-other/ |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}} The story caught attention after a resident began live streaming the cars with lofi hip hop music. Since then, Waymo Director of Product & Ops, Vishay Nihalani has appeared on the live stream to apologize and offer an explanation. Nihalani has assured locals that the honking will be fixed as further software updates are implemented.{{Cite news |last=Larson, Gooden |first=Amy, Lezla |date=19 August 2024 |title=Driverless Waymo cars still honking despite software fix |url=https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/driverless-waymo-cars-still-honking-despite-software-fix/ |access-date=6 September 2024 |work=KRON 4 News}}

In 2017, Waymo highlighted four specific business uses for its autonomous tech: robotaxis, trucking and logistics, urban public transportation, and passenger cars.

File:Waymo_Jaguar_I-Pace_Interior_In_Motion.jpg

Waymo offers robotaxi services in Phoenix, Arizona, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, California.{{cite web |last=Kerr |first=Dana |date=March 14, 2024 |title=Waymo's robotaxi service set to expand into Los Angeles |website=NPR |url= https://www.npr.org/2024/03/14/1238489046/waymo-robotaxi-los-angeles}}

In May 2025, Waymo received regulatory approval to expand its commercial robotaxi service into more areas of Silicon Valley, following a green light from the California Public Utilities Commission. The company has longer-term ambitions to provide service to San Francisco International Airport (SFO). {{Cite web |last=Korosec |first=Kirsten |date=2025-05-20 |title=Waymo gets OK to expand robotaxi service into more of Silicon Valley |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/19/waymo-gets-ok-to-expand-robotaxi-service-into-more-of-silicon-valley/ |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}

Waymo Via, launched in 2020 to work with OEMs to get its technology into vehicles.{{Cite web |date=June 30, 2020 |title=Waymo Targets Southwest Freight Corridor for Autonomous Truck Tests |url=https://www.ttnews.com/articles/waymo-targets-southwest-freight-corridor-autonomous-truck-tests-0 |access-date=July 2, 2020 |website=Transport Topics |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Waymo Via – Same Driver. Different Vehicle. |url=https://waymo.com/waymo-via/ |access-date=July 22, 2020}} The company is testing Class 8 tractor-trailers in Atlanta,{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/9/17100518/waymo-self-driving-truck-google-atlanta |title=Waymo's self-driving trucks will start delivering freight in Atlanta |author=Andrew J. Hawkins |date=March 9, 2018 |publisher=The Verge |access-date=June 27, 2018}} and southwest shipping routes across Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. The company operates a trucking hub in Dallas, Texas.{{Cite web |last=Ohnsman |first=Alan |date=August 25, 2020 |title=Waymo Taps Texas As Its Robot Truck Hub With Dallas Depot |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2020/08/25/waymo-taps-texas-as-its-robot-truck-hub-with-new-dallas-depot/ |access-date=September 14, 2020 |website=Forbes}} It is partnering with Daimler to integrate autonomous technology into a fleet of Freightliner Cascadia trucks.{{Cite web |last=Hawkins |first=Andrew |date=October 27, 2020 |title=Waymo and Daimler are teaming up to build fully driverless semi trucks – 'A broad, global, strategic partnership' |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/27/21536048/waymo-daimler-driverless-semi-trucks-cascadia-freightliner |access-date=October 27, 2020 |website=The Verge}}

Waymo operates 48 Class 8 autonomous trucks with safety drivers.{{Cite web |last=Shepardson |first=David |date=April 12, 2023 |title=US union opposes driverless trucks waiver for Waymo, Aurora |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/union-opposes-driverless-trucks-exemption-waymo-aurora-2023-04-11/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |work=Reuters |language=en}} In 2023 Waymo issued a joint application along with Aurora Innovation to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for a five-year exemption from rules that require drivers to place reflective triangles or a flare around a stopped tractor-trailer truck, to avoid needing human drivers, in favor of warning beacons mounted on the truck cab.{{Cite web |date=March 9, 2023 |title=Federal Register :: Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Exemption Application From Waymo LLC, and Aurora Operations, Inc. |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/03/09/2023-04841/parts-and-accessories-necessary-for-safe-operation-exemption-application-from-waymo-llc-and-aurora |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Federal Register}}

Waymo tested its technology in commercial delivery vehicles with United Parcel Service.{{Cite web |last=McFarland |first=Matt |date=January 29, 2020 |title=UPS teams up with Waymo to test self-driving delivery vans |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/29/tech/ups-waymo-self-driving-package-delivery/index.html |access-date=July 22, 2020 |publisher=CNN}}{{Cite web |date=July 28, 2020 |title=How the Waymo Driver is revolutionizing shipping – It's not only more efficient. Delivery networks, energy conservation, warehouse design, and more will all be affected—for the better. |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90532791/how-the-waymo-driver-is-revolutionizing-shipping |access-date=July 29, 2020 |website=Fast Company}} In July 2020 Waymo and Stellantis expanded their partnership, including the development of Ram ProMaster delivery vehicles.{{Cite web |last=Gitlin |first=Jonathan |date=July 22, 2020 |title=Waymo is working on autonomous Ram ProMaster Vans for goods deliveries – FCA was Waymo's first OEM partner in 2016, deal will continue post-merger with PSA. |url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/07/waymo-is-working-on-autonomous-ram-promaster-vans-for-goods-deliveries/ |access-date=July 22, 2020 |website=Ars Technica}}

In February 2017, Waymo sued Uber and its subsidiary self-driving trucking company, Otto, alleging trade secret theft and patent infringement. The company claimed that three ex-Google employees, including Anthony Levandowski, had stolen trade secrets, including thousands of files, from Google before joining Uber.{{Cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/09/technology/uber-waymo-lawsuit-driverless.html|title=Uber and Waymo Settle Trade Secrets Suit Over Driverless Cars|last=Wakabayashi|first= Daisuke|date=February 9, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date= February 23, 2019|language=en-US|issn= 0362-4331}} The alleged infringement was related to Waymo's proprietary lidar technology,{{Cite web|url= http://tsi.brooklaw.edu/cases/waymo-llc-v-uber-technologies-inc-ottomotto-llc-otto-trucking-llc|title=Waymo LLC v. Uber Technologies, Inc; Ottomotto LLC; Otto Trucking LLC|website=Trade Secrets Institute | publisher = Brook law |access-date=March 18, 2017}}{{Cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/02/23/technology/document-waymo-uber-complaint.html |title=Waymo's Complaint Against Uber|date=February 23, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 18, 2017|issn= 0362-4331}} Google accused Uber of colluding with Levandowski.{{Cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/30/technology/waymo-uber-lawsuit.html |title=Secrets or Knowledge? Uber-Waymo Trial Tests Silicon Valley Culture|date=January 30, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 4, 2018 |language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} Levandowski allegedly downloaded 9 gigabytes of data that included over a hundred trade secrets; eight of which were at stake during the trial.{{Cite news |url= https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/8/16993208/waymo-v-uber-trial-trade-secrets-lidar |title=I'm not so sure Waymo's going to win against Uber|work=The Verge|access-date=June 4, 2018}}{{cite web |url= https://money.cnn.com/2018/02/07/technology/waymo-v-uber-technology/index.html |title=The tech at the center of the Waymo vs. Uber trade secrets case | first =Selena | last = Larson |date=February 7, 2018 |publisher=CNN |access-date=June 13, 2018}}

An ensuing settlement gave Waymo 0.34% of Uber stock, the equivalent of $245 million. Uber agreed not to infringe Waymo's intellectual property.{{cite news |last1=Farivar|first1=Cyrus|title= Silicon Valley's most-watched trial ends as Waymo and Uber settle|url= https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/02/waymo-and-uber-end-trial-with-sudden-244-million-settlement/|access-date=February 9, 2018| work =Ars Technica |date=February 9, 2018}} Part of the agreement included a guarantee that "Waymo confidential information is not being incorporated in Uber Advanced Technologies Group hardware and software."{{Sfn | Larson | 2018}} In statements released after the settlement, Uber maintained that it received no trade secrets.{{Cite web|url= https://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-uber-waymo-settlement-20180209-story.html|title=Uber reaches settlement with Waymo in dispute over trade secrets|last1=Lien|first1=Russ | last2 = Mitchell | first2 = Tracey|website=Los Angeles Times|date= February 10, 2018 |access-date=June 4, 2018}} In May, according to an Uber spokesman, Uber had fired Levandowski, which resulted in the loss of roughly $250 million of his equity in Uber, which almost exactly equaled the settlement. Uber announced that it was halting production of self-driving trucks through Otto in July 2018, and the subsidiary company was shuttered.{{Cite web |last=Korosec |first=Kirsten |date=July 30, 2018 |title=Uber's self-driving trucks division is dead, long live Uber self-driving cars |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/30/ubers-self-driving-trucks-division-is-dead-long-live-uber-self-driving-cars/ |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}

In January 2022, Waymo sued the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to prevent data on driverless crashes from being released to the public. Waymo maintained that such information constituted a trade secret.{{Cite web |last=Hawkins |first=Andrew J. |date=January 28, 2022 |title=Waymo sues California DMV to keep driverless crash data under wraps |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/28/22906513/waymo-lawsuit-california-dmv-crash-data-foia |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}} According to The Los Angeles Times, the "topics Waymo wants to keep hidden include how it plans to handle driverless car emergencies, what it would do if a robot taxi started driving itself where it wasn't supposed to go, and what constraints there are on the car's ability to traverse San Francisco's tunnels, tight curves and steep hills."{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Russ |date=January 28, 2022 |title=Waymo sues state DMV to keep robotaxi safety details secret |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-01-28/waymo-robot-taxi-sues-state-secret-black-ice |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

In February 2022, Waymo was successful in preventing the release of robotaxi safety records. A Waymo spokesperson affirmed that the company would be transparent about its safety record.{{Cite web |last=Hawkins |first=Andrew J. |date=February 23, 2022 |title=Waymo wins bid to keep some of its robotaxi safety details secret |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/23/22947595/waymo-lawsuit-california-dmv-secret-win-injunction |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}

• History of self-driving cars

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite episode | url = http://www.executivetalks.com/exe006.html | title = Episode Exe006: Sebastian Thrun, Director, Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory | series = Executive Talks | people = Grant, Christian | date = May 2007 | access-date = January 3, 2013 | archive-date = April 1, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210401042828/https://www.youtube.com/embed/tbGVWRIzZr4 | url-status = dead }}
• {{cite magazine | url = https://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/07/the-surprising-ethics-of-robot-cars/ | title = The Ethics of Saving Lives with Autonomous Cars Are Far Murkier Than You Think | first = Patrick | last = Lin | magazine = Wired | date = July 30, 2013 | access-date = August 24, 2013}}
• {{cite magazine | url = https://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/11/google-driverless-car-morality.html | title = Moral Machines | first = Gary | last = Marcus | magazine = The New Yorker | date = November 27, 2012 | access-date = August 24, 2013}}
• {{cite news | url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2013/05/08/silicon-valley-vs-detroit-the-battle-for-the-car-of-the-future/ | title = Silicon Valley vs. Detroit: The Battle for the Car of the Future | first = Joann | last = Muller | date = May 27, 2013 | work = Forbes}}
• {{cite news | url = http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-03/the-problem-with-self-driving-cars-they-dont-cry#r=hpt-ls | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140404154928/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-03/the-problem-with-self-driving-cars-they-dont-cry#r=hpt-ls | url-status = dead | archive-date = April 4, 2014 | title = The Problem with Self-Driving Cars | first = Kyle | last = Stock | work = Bloomberg Businessweek | date = April 3, 2014 | access-date = April 6, 2014}}
• {{citation | url = http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/publications/automated-vehicles-are-probably-legal-united-states | title = Automated Vehicles Are Probably Legal in the United States | first = Bryant | last = Walker Smith | publisher = Stanford Law School | date = November 1, 2012 | access-date = August 24, 2013}}

{{Commons category|Waymo}}

• [https://www.waymo.com Waymo Official Website]

• [https://openaccess.thecvf.com/content_CVPR_2020/html/Sun_Scalability_in_Perception_for_Autonomous_Driving_Waymo_Open_Dataset_CVPR_2020_paper.html Scalability in Perception for Autonomous Driving: Waymo Open Dataset]
• [https://www.jjricks.com/videos Waymo Self Driving Car Videos] – citizen journalist recording Waymo autonomous trips in Phoenix area

{{Alphabet Inc.}}

{{Autonomous cars and enabling technologies}}

Category:Alphabet Inc.

Category:Self-driving car companies

Category:Electric vehicles