Waymo Begins Autonomous Vehicle Testing on Phoenix Highways

Initial phase to involve employees as passengers, with plans to expand to the public following data collection and feedback.

Waymo, the Alphabet-owned company, is set to begin testing autonomous vehicles on highways in Phoenix, Arizona, marking a significant milestone in the development of self-driving technology.
The initial phase of testing will involve Waymo employees as passengers, with the company planning to expand the service to the public once it has gathered sufficient data and feedback.
The move to highway testing comes amid increased scrutiny of autonomous vehicles, following safety concerns and operational freezes at competitor companies such as Cruise.
Waymo's expansion to freeway rides could significantly reduce commute times, addressing criticisms that autonomous vehicle rides can be slow and time-consuming.
Despite the progress, there remains public apprehension about autonomous vehicles, with surveys indicating that a significant proportion of US adults would not feel comfortable riding in or sharing the road with a driverless vehicle.