Waymo One is run by the company in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
If you have noticed an increase in the number of Waymo robotaxis in recent times in Phoenix, San Francisco, or Los Angeles, this is due to the fact that an increasing number of individuals are hailing one for a ride. The firm, which is owned by Alphabet, has revealed on Twitter/X that it is currently providing more than 50,000 paid journeys each week across three different cities. In some areas of such cities, Waymo One is available around the clock. When the company receives 50,000 rides every week, this indicates that it receives an average of 300 bookings per hour, which is equivalent to five bookings per minute that it receives. Furthermore, Waymo has disclosed that it has successfully completed more than one million rider-only journeys in four different cities, one of which is Austin, where it is currently providing limited rides to a select group of members of the general public.
The achievement of this milestone was attributed by Waymo to the “safe and deliberate approach” that it took to expanding its program, as stated in the statement. “Our service is utilized by individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds, allowing them to travel without worry, achieve independence, reclaim their commute, and more. Ride-hailing services that are fully autonomous are now a reality and a preferred mode of transportation for those who navigate their cities on a daily basis, according to the report.
Despite the fact that Waymo appears to be performing significantly better than Cruise, which has only recently resumed operations with some of its autonomous vehicles after taking a much-needed break, Cruise has been involved in a number of controversial situations. Six Waymo robotaxis were responsible for obstructing traffic on a freeway in San Francisco in the month of April. This was just one of the many instances in which the company’s cars were responsible for congested traffic. Earlier in the year, two Waymo vehicles collided with the same pickup truck one after the other. This occurred due to the fact that the software of the Waymo vehicles had inaccurately forecast the movements that the truck would make in the future. Immediately following the occurrence, the company decided to issue a software recall in order to rectify the problem and prevent future events of a similar nature.
Our safe and deliberate approach to scaling the Waymo Driver is gaining traction, as we’re now serving more than 50,000 paid trips every week across three major cities. Thank you to our riders for trusting us to get you to your destinations safely and reliably. pic.twitter.com/g0ws4QnV7v
— Waymo (@Waymo) May 9, 2024