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Friday 10 November 2017 TECHNOLOGY

Waymo rolls out autonomous vans without human drivers

By TOM KRISHER a small area at first, then
AP Auto Writer spread to portions of five
DETROIT (AP) — A self-driv- cities and 100 square miles
ing car company created in the Phoenix area. Even-
by Google is pulling the tually it will go to whole
human backup driver from metro area.
behind the steering wheel The company also wouldn't
and will test vehicles on say how many minivans
public roads with only an are taking part in the initial
employee in the back seat. testing. It has a fleet of 100
The move by Waymo, autonomous vans in Phoe-
which started Oct. 19 with nix, with plans to add 500.
an automated Chrysler Pa- Waymo says it has an op-
cifica minivan in the Phoe- erations team that can
nix suburb of Chandler, Ari- answer questions from the
zona, is a major step toward cars' computers, but the
vehicles driving themselves cars will make driving deci-
without human backups on sions.
public roads. The company said it has
Waymo, which is owned by been testing its autono-
Google's parent company mous systems for the past
Alphabet, is in a race with eight years with more than
other companies such as 5 million miles logged on
In this Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017, file photo, a Chrysler Pacifica hybrid outfitted with Waymo's suite of
Delphi, General Motors, In- sensors and radar is shown at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. public roads.
tel, Uber, Apple and Lyft to Associated Press Self-driving car competi-
bring autonomous vehicles tion between the auto in-
to the public. The compa- Waymo CEO John Krafcik, second. With these checks, inclement weather even dustry and tech compa-
nies say the robot cars are who was to make the an- our systems can instantly di- with camera, radar and la- nies is fierce.
safer than human drivers nouncement Tuesday at agnose any problems and ser sensors. The stakes are so high that
because they don't get a conference in Portugal, pull over or come to a safe "This demonstrates Way- Waymo is currently su-
drowsy, distracted or drunk. said the company intends stop if needed." mo's confidence in the ing ride-hailing company
Google has long stated its to expand the testing to The company also says it ability of these vehicles to Uber, alleging that one of
intent to skip driver-assist the entire 600-square-mile has redundant braking, function at least in this envi- its former managers stole
systems and go directly to Phoenix area and eventu- steering, power and com- ronment," Abuelsamid said. its trade secrets and took
fully autonomous driving. ally bring the technology puting systems so it never He expects General Motors them with him when he
The Waymo employee in to more cities around the has to rely on a human and its Cruise Automation joined Uber in 2016 as part
the back seat won't be world. It's confident that its driver. autonomous vehicle unit to of an elaborate scheme.
able to steer the minivan, system can handle all situ- Sam Abuelsamid, senior be the next to announce The trial in that high-profile
but like all passengers, will ations on public roads with- analyst for Navigant Re- testing without human case is scheduled to begin
be able to press a button out human intervention, he search, says Waymo's tests backups, followed by auto in early December.
to bring the van safely to a said. without a human backup parts maker Delphi, which Waymo is hoping to infuse
stop if necessary, Waymo "To have a vehicle on pub- are the first to his knowl- recently acquired Massa- its technology into ride-
said. lic roads without a person edge on public roads at chusetts Institute of Tech- hailing services such as its
Within a "few months," the at the wheel, we've built normal speeds. The com- nology self-driving software current partner, Lyft, and
fully autonomous vans will some unique safety fea- pany picked Phoenix be- startup nuTonomy. big-rig trucking companies.
begin carrying volunteer tures into this minivan," cause weather conditions Waymo wouldn't say how It also intends to license its
passengers who are now Krafcik said in remarks pre- are ideal for testing with no many vehicles will be in the automated system to auto-
taking part in a Phoenix- pared for the conference. snow and little rain, he said, initial test or exactly how makers such as Fiat Chrysler
area test that includes use "Our system runs thousands adding that Waymo knows wide an area it will cover. Automobiles, which makes
of backup drivers. of checks on itself every its system isn't ready yet for The test will take place in the Pacifica minivan.q

Uber reaches for the skies with plan for sleek flying taxi

By BARRY HATTON The vehicle is intended to Holden said that Uber is
Associated Press soar over traffic conges- joining NASA's project to
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — tion, sharply reducing city expand air traffic systems,
Commuters of the future travel times. Uber hopes it which scores of other com-
could get some relief from will eventually become a panies already belong to.
congested roads if Uber's form of mass transport and He told The Associated
plans for flying taxis work cost commuters less than Press in an interview that
out. using their own car, though he has no dollar figure for
The ride-hailing service un- initially it will be more ex- the total investment. He
veiled Wednesday an art- pensive than that, Uber's said Uber is putting some
ist's impression of the sleek, Chief Product Officer Jeff of its own money into the
futuristic machine it hopes Holden said. project, developing soft-
to start using for demon- The scheme still faces plen- ware, while other investors
This computer generated image provided by Uber Technolo-
stration flights in 2020. The ty of challenges, including are also involved, such as
gies on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017 shows a flying taxi by Uber.
company aims to have its certification of the new aircraft manufacturers that
Associated Press
first paying passengers in vehicle by authorities, pilot are developing the vehicle
various cities around the The battery-powered air- and rotors. It was presented training and conceiving and real estate companies
world by 2023, though the craft looks like a cross be- at an international technol- urban air traffic manage- that are providing so-called
plan still faces major hur- tween a small plane and a ogy conference in Lisbon, ment systems that prevent 'skyports' where people will
dles. helicopter, with fixed wings Portugal. collisions. catch their airborne taxi.q