Moderation Team
Summary: Waymo, initially known as the Google Self-Driving Car project, is now a transportation company operating in San Francisco, Phoenix, and LA. It plans to begin testing 10-12 self-driving cars, including electric Jaguar I-Pace SUVs and Zeekr models, in Seattle, utilizing its sixth-generation wet-weather technology. However, the launch of taxi services may be delayed due to Washington state’s unclear regulations surrounding autonomous vehicles. While local officials have shown support for the technology, challenges persist, including inadequate charging infrastructure. Previous attempts by companies like Cruise faced setbacks, highlighting the hurdles for driverless taxi services in the region.
Waymo may be more familiar to people as the Google Self-Driving Car project, now its an actual tech, taxi and transportation company that carries passengers in San Francisco, Phoenix, and LA.
Waymo to begin testing in Seattle
Geekwire is reporting they will soon begin testing 10-12 cars in various areas of Seattle with their self-driving tech. Geekwire says seveal models will be among the test cars:
“Waymo will be testing electric Jaguar I-Pace SUVs and EVs from Zeekr, a Chinese automaker under the Geely Holding parent company, which also owns Volvo. Karp described the Zeekr EVs as “adorable little blue boxes.”
Due to Seattle’s wetter climate, these cars will have what’s called sixth-generation Waymo wet-weather technology.
However, don’t get your hopes up about getting a taxi anytime soon. Even if Waymo’s testing goes as or even better than planned, it will be some time before such service can start.
The problem lies with WA state government. Like many other areas, WA state is lacking or has confusing and gap-filled regulations regarding a framework to oversee these forms of transportation.
Legislators are not exactly racing to establish a set of regulations to oversee and guide driverless taxis, yet the state is dumping hundreds of millions into trying to get people to buy electric vehicles.
The state also suffers from virtually no charging infrastructure, but that issue was not discussed in the information released by Waymo. Geekwire reports city officials claim they welcome such tech, but:
“General Motors and Microsoft-backed Cruise tested cars in Seattle in 2023 — to also learn from the wet, hilly environment. But the company shut down a Bellevue engineering center later that year and GM exited the robotaxi market in December 2024.”
Gallery Credit: Stacker
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