What is Waymo
Waymo : A new WAY forward in MObility.
Artificial Intelligence is changing the way the world works. From writing and research to creating pictures, music and videos, AI is everywhere.
One exciting area where AI has stepped out of the screens and onto real roads is self-driving taxis.
company Waymo is owned by Alphabet (the same company that owns Google) is one of the top companies in this area.
It recently achieved a major milestone by completing over 10 million fully driverless rides. This is an important step towards a smarter and safer future for transportation.
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Waymo’s journey so far
Waymo began in 2009 as part of the Google Self Driving Car Project. The goal was clear to build cars that could drive without human help. These cars used a mix of AI, special sensors and advanced maps to move safely and smoothly.
By 2012 the Waymo team had already tested cars for over 3,00,000 miles using radar, LiDAR (laser sensors) and cameras. In 2016 the project was renamed Waymo short for “a new way forward in mobility.”
What is Waymo | overcoming obstacles
Initially Waymo faced many challenges like
- Strict government rules
- Public doubts and safety concerns
- Legal and insurance issues
- Technical glitches and road tests
But step by step the company made progress. One of the first big wins was offering a fully driverless ride on public streets in Austin(Texas). Later the trials were launched in Phoenix (Arizona) where people were offered free ride and give feedback.
What is Waymo | Expansion of services
Waymo didn’t stop there. It launched Waymo One the world’s first paid self driving taxi service in Phoenix. These vehicles drove without anyone in the driver’s seat. The service then expanded to more cities like-
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
- Dallas and Houston (also testing trucks for shipping)
Rapid growth in rides
The following statistics, according to the California Public Utilities Commission show how quickly the public began to accept and use this technology.
Note: It was reported by the Wall Street Journal in California public Utilities Commission
- In August 2023:There were 10,000 paid rides per week
- In May 2024: There were 50,000 rides per week
- In August 2024:There were 100,000 rides per week
- And Now: Over 250,000 rides and growing
What is Waymo | Achieved 10 million rides milestone
During the Google I/O 2025 event, Waymo co-CEO Dmitry Dolgov published some exciting news that the company has officially surpassed 10 million autonomous rides in 2024. Their fleet now has over 700 vehicles and covers 50,000+ rides every week.
If we calculate it is five times more rides than just a year ago and shows how fast this technology is improving and gaining trust.
The future of driverless travel
Backed by Alphabet’s strong support and years of testing behind its functionality now Waymo is set to lead the next generation of mobility or future of Driverless mobility.
The company is not just helping people get from one place to another. It is also making transport safer, cleaner even more smarter for the world.
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What is Waymo | The need of driverless mobility
As cities expand and traffic conditions worsen, autonomous taxis may become a common mode of travel.
The road ahead looks promising and it seems Waymo is heading straight into the future (according to its past driving statistics and ride counts).
Deep dive into Waymo
