Real driverless cars could come to the Phoenix area this year, according to a Monday report from The Information's Amir Efrati. Two anonymous sources have told Efrati that Google's self-driving car unit, Waymo, is preparing to launch "a commercial ride-sharing service powered by self-driving vehicles with no human 'safety' drivers as soon as this fall."
Obviously, there's no guarantee that Waymo will hit this ambitious target. But it's a sign that Waymo believes its technology is very close to being ready for commercial use. And it suggests that Waymo is likely to introduce a fully driverless car network in 2018 if it doesn't do so in the remaining months of 2017.
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According to Efrati, Waymo's service is likely to launch first in Chandler, a Phoenix suburb where Waymo has done extensive testing. Waymo chose the Phoenix area for its favorable weather, its wide, well-maintained streets, and the relative lack of pedestrians. Another important factor was the legal climate. Arizona has some of the nation's most permissive laws regarding self-driving vehicles.
"Arizona’s oversight group has met just twice in the last year, and found no reason to suggest any new rules or restrictions on autonomous vehicles, so long as they follow traffic laws," the Arizona Republic reported in June. "The group found no need to suggest legislation to help the deployment."
This of course is still in its infancy, and I imagine that even when these cars start showing up all around the lower 48 that here in my home state of Alaska we will be among the last to have access, due to our inclimate weather and treacherous driving conditions.
I just hope that it finally arrives while I am still around to participate in this amazing breakthrough.
This is without a doubt when of my all time favorite technological advances.
Phoenix has the most dangerous highway system I have ever seen, and I am well-traveled. I can't imagine that being a good place to test driverless cars.
ReplyDeleteHang in Gryphen ... self driving dog sleds will be in Alaska in 2019.
ReplyDeleteMore faulty technology unregulated and hacked is not progress. We spend more time explaining what went wrong vs how it improved our life and society.
ReplyDeleteYou go first!
ReplyDeleteI would love to!
Deletehttps://www.rawstory.com/2017/10/brace-yourself-america-charlie-hebdo-has-arrived/
ReplyDeleteBEEP BEEP
I've been seeing the Google driverless cars here for years (Silicon Valley) and have been both amused and impressed at what I've seen. Amused by the fact that driving through my cramped neighborhood the human had to take over because the streets here are so jacked. Impressed by the perfect reaction to being cut off by a car trying to exit the freeway from 3 lanes over. Frankly I think anything other than some of the people here being in control of a car would be an improvement.
ReplyDeleteNot a fan.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan and hope it doesn't become mainstream in my lifetime; I would never buy one of these, I don't even like driving an automatic. I drive a 2012 Jeep Wrangler, stick shift, roll-up windows, manual locks and no remote anything.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I'm on board with this idea, unless it's made a switchable option. This old boy likes record changers that let you watch a stylus travel its way through vinyl grooves, lift, lower another record and continue. I wasn't thrilled to see that give way to a four inch shiny disc, that looks rather the same blank or with something on it, also looks likes an item from Kirk's starship, watch it disappear into a drawer with only a tiny minutes and seconds window to look at.
ReplyDeleteI actually enjoy driving (most of the time) and don't eagerly welcome it being turned into a passive activity, much like getting zoned out in front of a TV. When the evolution of any appliance means it removes control and choices I'm used to having, I'm not sure I welcome that as 'progress.'