Waymo
Formerly known as the Google Self-Driving Car Project, Waymo is an autonomous self-driving technology company. Waymo was founded in 2009 by Sebastian Thrun and Anthony Levandowski, and is owned and operated by Alphabet.
Waymo dumps its waitlist and opens up its San Francisco robotaxi service to everyone
Waymo no longer has a waitlist for its San Francisco robotaxi service, removing the final obstacle for customers keen to use the self-driving technology. Waymo said Tuesday that anyone can…
Waymo issues second recall after robotaxi hit telephone pole
Waymo has voluntarily issued a software recall to all 672 of its Jaguar I-Pace robotaxis after one of them collided with a telephone pole. This is Waymo’s second recall. The…
Feds add nine more incidents to Waymo robotaxi investigation
Federal safety regulators have discovered nine more incidents that raise questions about the safety of Waymo’s self-driving vehicles operating in Phoenix and San Francisco. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration…
What a wild week for transportation news! It was a smorgasbord of news that seemed to touch every sector and theme in transportation.
Waymo’s robotaxis under investigation after crashes and traffic mishaps
The company’s autonomous vehicles have had a number of misadventures lately, involving driving into construction sites.
6 Waymo robotaxis block traffic to San Francisco freeway on-ramp
Waymo can operate on San Francisco freeways without a human driver, but the company is still only testing on freeways with a human driver in the front seat.
Waymo, the self-driving company under Alphabet, began testing its robotaxis in Atlanta on Tuesday, adding another city to its ever-expanding testing and deployment domain. Over the next few months, Waymo…
Waymo to launch commercial robotaxi service in Austin by end of the year
Waymo will begin offering a robotaxi service to the public in Los Angeles this week and in Austin by the end of the year, the company’s co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said…
Waymo will start letting its autonomous vehicles traverse Austin without a safety operator behind the wheel as of tomorrow, a crucial step before the company opens the program up to…
Apple’s €1.84B fine, new AI rules in India and the latest pre-IPO round
This time on Equity, we talk through Apple’s massive fine in the EU, India’s new rules for AI, Waymo’s wins, and Salla’s huge pre-IPO round.
Waymo can now charge for robotaxi rides in LA and on San Francisco freeways
Waymo received approval Friday afternoon from the California Public Utilities Commission to operate a commercial robotaxi service in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Peninsula and on San Francisco freeways. The…
Stellantis CEO dishes on Waymo, Rivian cuts staff and the great EV softening continues
TechCrunch Mobility is a weekly newsletter dedicated to all things transportation. Sign up here — just click TechCrunch Mobility — to receive the newsletter every weekend in your inbox. Subscribe for free.…
Stellantis CEO says there’s still life in Waymo deal for self-driving delivery vans
Stellantis, the automaker that owns 14 brands, including Chrysler, Jeep and Ram, and autonomous vehicle technology company Waymo are not only still working together, the companies are deepening the partnership,…
Rabbit’s Jesse Lyu hops into StrictlyVC LA on February 29
We’re announcing an exciting addition to our speaker lineup for StrictlyVC Los Angeles on February 29. Jesse Lyu, founder and CEO of rabbit Inc., will be joining us and showcasing…
Waymo’s application to expand California robotaxi operations paused by regulators
Waymo’s application to expand its robotaxi service in Los Angeles and San Mateo counties has been suspended for 120 days by the California Public Utilities Commission’s Consumer Protection and Enforcement…
Waymo recalls and updates robotaxi software after two cars crashed into the same towed truck
Waymo is voluntarily recalling the software that powers its robotaxi fleet after two vehicles crashed into the same towed pickup truck in Phoenix, Arizona, in December. It’s the company’s first…
A Waymo robotaxi was vandalized and burned in San Francisco
A Waymo robotaxi was vandalized and then set on fire by a crowd of people Saturday evening in San Francisco’s Chinatown neighborhood. The incident is the latest encounter between driverless…
California regulator looking into Waymo’s collision with a cyclist
California’s auto regulator, the Department of Motor Vehicles, is investigating an incident where a driverless Waymo car collided with a cyclist.
Waymo is about to start testing its driverless passenger vehicles on the highway later this month, a critical milestone for the company that, if successful, will unlock expanded commercial operations. …
Over here at TechCrunch, our time is often spent finding and reporting on the next new new thing in mobility, from autonomous drones and electric air taxis to self-driving trucks…
Featured Article
Facing roadblocks, China’s robotaxi darlings apply the brakes
A few years ago, robotaxis were the darlings of venture capitalists in China. A cadre of audacious startups, including Deeproute.ai, WeRide.ai, Pony.ai and Momenta reeled in hundreds of millions of dollars to fuel their costly ambitions. With pockets overflowing, they spent generously on building self-driving vehicle fleets. Their geeky executives,…
Waymo launches curbside robotaxi pickup at Phoenix airport
Select Waymo One riders can now get picked up or dropped off by the company’s robotaxis curbside at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Waymo became the first autonomous vehicle operator…
Two of California’s biggest robotaxi opponents join forces
Two of the biggest groups to oppose robotaxi expansion in California are now formally working together. Teamsters 856, which is tied to one of the longest-standing labor unions in the…
Waymo driverless vehicles are now available through Uber, starting first in Phoenix
Phoenix-area Uber users can now hail a Waymo driverless vehicle. The two companies today announced the launch of the joint service, which we first reported in May 2023. To use…
Robotaxis ‘do not belong in the city of Los Angeles,’ lawmaker says
Robotaxi oversight is now a priority at Los Angeles City Hall. At a press briefing on Wednesday, Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez told Waymo and Cruise that their robotaxis are not welcome.…
Robotaxi pushback grows in Los Angeles as Cruise loses permits
Less than a month after Waymo’s Los Angeles County expansion, labor organizers and an LA lawmaker are calling for new autonomous-vehicle regulations. On Tuesday, the office of LA Councilmember Hugo…
Waymo’s new simulator helps researchers train more realistic agents
Autonomous vehicle companies use simulators to train their self-driving systems and teach them how to react to “agents” — things like pedestrians, cyclists, traffic signals and other cars. To have…
Uber sexual assault survivors score a win, down goes another SPAC and why EV battery plants remain a UAW sticking point
The Station is a weekly newsletter about the future of transportation. This week, learn about Uber, generative AI, Cruise and Waymo.
Waymo expands in San Francisco while Cruise feels the heat
Alphabet subsidiary Waymo is expanding its service area in San Francisco despite protests against robotaxis, while rival Cruise grapples with crashes and other incidents. Waymo riders can now access the…
Waymo-Zeekr robotaxi poised for US testing by end of 2023
Nearly two years after Waymo and Geely struck a deal to develop robotaxis for the U.S. market, we are seeing concrete progress in the collaboration. According to a job post…