Waymo, the self-driving unit owned by Alphabet, has been cleared to join Ontario’s autonomous vehicle pilot program, opening the door for its push into Canada. The company said it will begin in Toronto by driving vehicles manually to build high-definition maps, then move to supervised testing on public roads with safety operators in the car. The final step, according to the company’s plan, is to remove those safety operators and launch a robotaxi service for the public.
Co-Chief Executive Officer Tekedra Mawakana described the move into Canada as an important milestone in Waymo’s broader global expansion. She also said Toronto is the northernmost city the company has attempted to operate in so far, and one that could present its toughest winter conditions yet. That makes the city a practical test for both Waymo’s self-driving system and its operating model.
As part of its expansion effort, Waymo has also partnered with Toronto-based Element Fleet Management to help manage the fleet. The move is expected to create hundreds of jobs, according to the report cited by Techub from TechCrunch.
Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving company, has been approved to take part in Ontario’s autonomous vehicle pilot program, allowing it to expand into Canada.
The company said it will start in Toronto with human-driven vehicles to build high-definition maps. After that, it plans to run supervised tests on public roads with safety operators on board. In the final stage, those safety operators will be removed and the robotaxi service will be opened to the public.
Toronto becomes Waymo’s next test city
Waymo Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said the company’s move into Canada is an important milestone in its global journey. She added that Toronto is the northernmost city where Waymo has tried to operate so far, and that its winter conditions could be the harshest the company has faced. That, she said, will test both Waymo’s autonomous driving technology and its ability to run the service.
Fleet partnership already in place
As part of its strategy to speed up expansion, Waymo has partnered with Toronto-based Element Fleet Management to manage the fleet. The report said the move is expected to create hundreds of jobs.
The information was published by Techub, citing TechCrunch.
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