LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Waymo is gearing up to introduce its self-driving cars to the streets of Las Vegas.
The company, which has already operated in cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix, is deploying sensor-equipped vehicles in Southern Nevada as part of its preparation.
“We’ve done over 14 million paid, fully autonomous trips. So this isn’t our first rodeo,” said Franklin Trujillo with Waymo. “We take a very methodical approach. The vehicles that have that you’ve probably seen in Las Vegas are currently driving around with a human behind the wheel. And they are mapping the city, they are understanding its nuances. We are looking at, you know, what the pedestrian density is? What are these maybe crazy intersections that perhaps we haven’t seen elsewhere?”
Waymo has been developing its technology for nearly two decades and says that throughout the years, they’ve learned various lessons.
“We have learned quite a bit in our last 16 years of development,” said Trujillo. “In San Francisco, for instance, where we kind of got our start in a very, very big city, there are a lot of pedestrians. We’re expecting the same in Las Vegas, especially in areas like the strip, where people are everywhere. And so what our safety record shows is that we are much safer, 12 times safer in crashes with injuries to pedestrians than a human driver.”
Public opinion on the introduction of more self-driving cars in Las Vegas is mixed.
Some express concerns about potential glitches in the technology, while others believe autonomous vehicles are superior to human drivers.
“Mixed thoughts, they can have an impact here in Las Vegas, but the technology itself is a little disturbing,” said Elliot.
“I personally wouldn’t trust it to be in a vehicle like that because I just feel like there are glitches somewhere in internet or AI, I feel like there’s always some sort of glitch. I wouldn’t want to risk my life if it were to glitch up all of a sudden,” said Jaycie Adams
“I think they’re wonderful, I think they’re better drivers than most people driving on this trip today,” said Anngela. “Just relax, let it do its thing. I feel like it’s a better driver than human drivers.”
Despite the varied opinions, some are open to trying a self-driving ride.
Waymo is expected to launch its full service in the summer of 2026.