Page 14 - EE Times Europe Magazine - June 2025

14 EE|Times EUROPE

AUTONOMOUS DRIVING | PILOTS AND DEPLOYMENTS
Waymo’s Robotaxi Program: Progress

and Potential

By Egil Juliussen

aymo is the leader in robotaxi development situations. Waymo conducted most of its self-driving tests in
and deployment. While there is limited California, though Arizona gained prominence in 2016 when trials
began in the Phoenix area. In April 2017, Waymo started its Early Rider
data on the robotaxi experience, Waymo program, which rapidly increased the number of VMT and rides. More
W has provided most of the publicly available than 400 customers participated initially, and after one year, over
information and has reported the highest number of 20,000 customers had applied to be part of the Early Rider project.
Waymo started collecting fees for its Early Rider program in
autonomously driven miles, customer rides, and related December 2019. The safety driver was still part of the ride in the early
statistics. days of the fee-based service, and self-driving remained important into
the early 2020s.
This article focuses on Waymo’s autonomous vehicle progression The driverless stage, with no safety driver present, was tested in
over the past 15-plus years, including available statistics with further 2015 when Waymo introduced its Firefly AV without driving controls.
analysis. Waymo’s recent deployment data and year-end 2024 status The Firefly AV was used from June 2015 to July 2017. During this stage,
are summarized. The data includes autonomous vehicle miles traveled Waymo uses driverless AVs as it gets ready for the deployment stage in
(VMT), number of rides, and estimated revenue. The article closes with a new city. Waymo allows employees to try driverless rides and may use
a forecast scenario through 2027. Early Rider programs for limited public use.
In the robotaxi deployment stage, riders pay a fee for the service,
WAYMO ROBOTAXI HISTORY AND PROGRESSION and no safety driver is present. The Phoenix area was Waymo’s key city
Waymo started testing self-driving cars in 2009 and has been the leader for this stage starting in October 2020, when its Early Rider program
for more than 15 years. For each city where it has deployed robotaxi transitioned to rider-only deployment. San Francisco followed in 2022.
service, Waymo has undergone multiple stages of AV development and Waymo currently operates its rider-only service in four cities and plans
deployment (see Figure 1). The process begins with mapping the area to exceed 10 cities in 2027.
planned for AV testing and proceeds through three more stages, the Each city must complete the first three stages to get to robotaxi
last one being robotaxi deployment with paying customers. deployment with paid rides. The time to deployment will likely shrink
In the self-driving stage, a safety driver is present in the car to take as Waymo’s technology advances in capabilities and experience.
over when the software driver cannot manage new or unusual driving Waymo has released good data on its self-driving growth from 2009

Figure 1: Waymo implements multiple stages of AV development and deployment in every city where it offers robotaxi service.

JUNE 2025 | www.eetimes.eu