Waymo announced self-driving car testing starts now in London and Tokyo. This marks the first time Waymo vehicles operate outside the United States. The Alphabet company confirmed small-scale public trials began this week. London sees Waymo Jaguar I-PACE vehicles navigating specific areas. Tokyo gets similar vehicles operating in designated zones. Both cities offer unique, complex driving environments. The company aims to gather crucial data in these locations. The information helps improve the self-driving system’s performance globally. Safety remains the top priority for all operations. Waymo vehicles use advanced sensors and software to navigate. Human safety drivers sit inside the vehicles during this testing phase. These drivers monitor the system constantly. They can take control instantly if needed. Waymo stressed this is a research effort. Public rides are not available yet. The company wants to learn how the technology handles diverse urban challenges. London’s narrow streets and heavy traffic provide one test. Tokyo’s dense population and specific traffic rules offer another. Weather conditions in both cities also differ significantly from previous test sites. Waymo needs this real-world experience. The company plans to gradually expand testing areas over time. Success depends on proving safety and reliability consistently. Local authorities in both cities granted necessary permissions. Waymo worked closely with officials before starting. The company emphasized its commitment to collaborating with communities. Feedback from the public and local partners is vital. Waymo believes this international step is essential for the future. The goal is building technology that works everywhere for everyone. Data collected informs the development of safer, more capable autonomous vehicles. This expansion signals confidence in the technology’s progress. Previous testing focused heavily on US cities like San Francisco and Phoenix. Results there showed the system handles many situations well. New environments present fresh obstacles. Waymo engineers will analyze performance data daily. Adjustments to the software happen constantly based on findings. The company expects the London and Tokyo trials to last several months initially. Further phases depend on outcomes and regulatory discussions. Waymo sees this as a long-term investment in global mobility solutions.
(Google’s Self-Driving Cars Now Test in London and Tokyo)
