Waymo's Self Driving Taxi Service Will Be Up and Running This Year
Waymo has been given the green light by the Arizona Department of Transportation to operate a self-driving taxi service in the state starting this year.
According to Bloomberg, the state of Arizona has allowed Waymo to operate as a Transportation Network Company, which will enable it to operate a taxi service in Phoenix and the surrounding area with its self-driving Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans. Just like other ride-hailing services, the Waymo taxi will be called using a smartphone app.
“As we continue to test-drive our fleet of vehicles in greater Phoenix, we’re taking all the steps necessary to launch our commercial service this year,” a Waymo spokesman said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg.
SEE ALSO: You’ll be Able to Hail a Self Driving Waymo Van by Late 2018
Waymo has been testing its vans since 2016, and began an early rider program in Arizona late last year. The free pilot program allowed users to call the self-driving Waymo van using an app, although it was limited to a 100-mile square radius.
When the actual Waymo taxi service opens up for business later this year, it will be limited by the number of vehicles in its fleet. The company currently operates around 600 vehicles, but recently placed an order with Fiat Chrysler for “thousands” more Pacifica Hybrids. It’s not yet clear how much a ride in a self-driving Waymo van will cost, but it’s believed it will be comparable with an Uber or Lyft trip.
[Source: Bloomberg]
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Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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