PHOENIX, Arizona.-This afternoon a rental vehicle without a driver was caught in the parking lot of a shopping plaza in the heart of downtown Phoenix, Arizona.

The car, from the company Waymopicked up a couple of passengers in an area located on the side of McDowell Street and 7th Streetwithout there being a person driving at the wheel, according to direct observation at the scene.

What is Waymo and what technology does it use?

Waymo is an American company that develops technology for autonomous vehicles, that is, cars that can drive themselves without the intervention of a human driver.

The company, which was originally the autonomous vehicle project within Googlebecame an independent company belonging to the conglomerate Alphabet Inc.Google matrix.

Waymo’s technology, known as Waymo Drivercombines advanced sensors (such as LiDARcameras and radars) and artificial intelligence to perceive the environment, identify objects, pedestrians, traffic signs and other vehicles, and make driving decisions in real time without human intervention.

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This system uses maps in Highly detailed 3Dwhich allow vehicles to know precisely where they are in the city and how they should travel.

Where does Waymo operate and what services does it offer?

Waymo offers a commercial self-driving taxi service known as Waymo One.

This service allows users to request rides in driverless vehicles through an application in specific areas of several cities in the United States, including:

• phoenix
• San Francisco Bay Area
• Los Angeles
• austin
• atlanta

In Phoenix, Waymo has been a pioneer in offering this type of driverless public transportation, allowing passengers to take autonomous trips in various sectors of the city and gradually expanding its area of ​​operation.

Why is it relevant that Waymo operates in Phoenix?

Phoenix became one of the first markets where Waymo launched its self-driving taxi service to the public. This means that the vehicles have not only been tested in closed or controlled environments, but are used on streets open to real trafficpicking up and dropping off passengers without a human driver in densely populated cities.

Seeing a Waymo vehicle operating in a commercial parking lot reinforces that this technology is already integrated into everyday activities, such as picking up passengers in public areas.

How does a Waymo taxi ride work?

• To request a ride, users download the app Waymo One and request a car from their phone.
• The vehicle arrives at the assigned pick-up point, stops and allows passengers to board without anyone at the wheel.
• Once the trip begins, the autonomous system controls the route, speed and maneuvers necessary to take passengers to their destination.

The use of sensors, detailed maps and software artificial intelligence It allows the vehicle to act as a “digital driver,” adjusting its behavior based on traffic conditions and the environment.

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What does this mean for the future of mobility?

The deployment of autonomous taxis like Waymo’s represents a significant advance in transportation technology.

By eliminating the need for a human driver, it seeks reduce human errorsimprove the road safety and offer new mobility options for people who do not have their own car or cannot drive.

Furthermore, the continuous expansion of these services in several cities indicates that the technology is moving from being experimental to becoming another option within urban transportation.