Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving car subsidiary spun out from Google’s autonomous vehicle project in December 2016, became the first company to offer commercial driverless taxi service—while demonstrating that full autonomy remained far more difficult than Silicon Valley optimists predicted.

Google’s Head Start

Google began its self-driving car project in 2009, giving it a nearly decade head start over competitors. By 2012, Google’s autonomous vehicles had driven 300,000+ miles. The distinctive bubble-shaped prototypes with rooftop LIDAR sensors became icons of autonomous vehicle development.

Waymo Launch

In December 2016, Google reorganized the project as Waymo (a portmanteau of “way forward in mobility”). CEO John Krafcik positioned Waymo as technology and service provider rather than car manufacturer, planning to partner with automakers for vehicle production.

Phoenix Deployment

Waymo launched Waymo One, its commercial ride-hailing service, in Phoenix suburbs in December 2018. Initial service included safety drivers; by late 2019, select rides operated fully driverless. Phoenix’s flat grid streets, predictable weather, and wide roads provided ideal testing conditions—critics called it “easy mode.”

Safety Record

By 2022, Waymo vehicles had driven 20+ million autonomous miles, mostly in Phoenix and San Francisco. The company reported far lower accident rates than human drivers, though autonomous vehicle accidents often generated disproportionate media attention. Debates raged over comparing safety metrics.

Technology Challenges

Waymo struggled with complex scenarios: construction zones, aggressive human drivers, pedestrian predictions, and “edge cases” rare but critical. Each new deployment city required extensive mapping. Heavy rain, snow, and dense urban chaos remained challenging—explaining why full nationwide rollout took years longer than predicted.

Cruise and Uber Setbacks

Waymo’s competitors faced bigger struggles. Uber’s autonomous program killed a pedestrian in Arizona in 2018, suspending the program. Cruise (GM’s subsidiary) faced regulatory challenges and delayed timelines. Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” faced criticism as advanced driver assistance rather than true autonomy.

Economic Reality

Waymo raised $5.5 billion but remained unprofitable. Each vehicle required expensive sensor arrays ($75,000+). Service areas remained limited. The business model—whether selling technology, operating ride-hailing, or leasing to automakers—remained unclear. Autonomous vehicle economics proved harder than anticipated.

Public Perception

Phoenix residents had mixed reactions. Some embraced driverless convenience; others reported cars blocking traffic, making overly cautious decisions, or behaving unpredictably. Videos of Waymo vehicles navigating awkwardly went viral, sometimes mocking, sometimes impressed.

The #Waymo hashtag documented this autonomous vehicle frontier: ride experience videos, safety debates, technology explanations, competitor comparisons, Phoenix street encounters, and the reality check that full self-driving remained years—perhaps decades—from mass deployment.

https://waymo.com/
https://www.theverge.com/
https://www.nytimes.com/
https://www.wired.com/