Waymo is making bigger, cheaper self-driving taxis

Alphabet-owned Waymo has announced its latest advancements in self-driving technology, dubbed "generation 6," which will be integrated into Geely Zeekr electric vehicles. This new technology aims to enhance the vehicle's ability to navigate various weather conditions while reducing the reliance on expensive cameras and sensors. Waymo showcased its developments at its Mountain View, California facility, highlighting the evolution of its commercial robotaxi service, Waymo One, which began in late 2018. Currently, Waymo operates approximately 50,000 paid driverless trips weekly, primarily in San Francisco and Phoenix, with a total of over 2 million trips completed to date. The company is actively working to expand its service into additional Sunbelt cities, including Austin and Los Angeles. Recently, Alphabet announced a significant investment of $5 billion into its autonomous vehicle unit, which originated as "project chauffeur" in 2009. This funding will primarily support the scaling of operations and the integration of the new robotaxis into the existing fleet. The upcoming Waymo-Zeekr model features a boxier design similar in size to the current Waymo I-Pace SUVs but offers improved accessibility with a low step and high ceiling for enhanced legroom. Waymo has also focused on custom sensor and software development, equipping the Zeekr with a comprehensive "360 view" system to detect and avoid obstacles, including wipers to maintain sensor clarity. In a strategic move to reduce costs, Waymo has decreased the number of onboard cameras from 29 to 13 and lidar sensors from five to four. While competitors like Didi and Pony.ai are operational in China, Waymo currently faces minimal competition in the U.S., especially following setbacks experienced by GM-owned Cruise and the cessation of driverless initiatives by Uber and Ford.