Waymo’s robotaxis are headed to Canada
The company will start off by testing its self-driving vehicles on Toronto's streets.
Alphabet's Waymo, the self-driving car division of Google's parent company, Alphabet, is set to expand its operations to Canada following approval to join Ontario's automated vehicle pilot program. The company has not yet launched a robotaxi service in Canada but plans to gradually introduce its self-driving vehicles, starting with manual mapping and testing in Toronto.
Waymo will initially drive these vehicles manually to create high-definition maps of the city's street network before testing its autonomous vehicles on public roads with a human safety operator on board. These operators will later be replaced, and Waymo will eventually allow the public to take rides in its robotaxis. This expansion is part of Waymo's aggressive strategy to enter new markets, with the company already operating in 15 U.S. cities and testing services in London and Tokyo.
Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo, emphasized this move as a significant milestone in the company's global journey, as Toronto represents the northernmost and potentially harshest operating conditions for Waymo's autonomous vehicles. To support its operations in Toronto, Waymo has partnered with local firm Element Fleet Management, anticipating the creation of hundreds of jobs in areas such as fleet maintenance, validation driving, customer service, and operations.
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