• Waymo, the self-driving tech development unit of Google, has opened robotaxi rides without a safety driver to trusted tester program members in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. 

• The company plans to open the same to the wider public in the future.

• Waymo first launched driverless robotaxi services in downtown Phoenix this May, limiting the service to its employees. 

• Google’s autonomous vehicle technology arm, Waymo, focuses on both goods and passenger transportation. Its “Waymo One” division focuses on autonomous ride-hailing services, while “Waymo Via” is dedicated to autonomous cargo transportation. The vehicles under both units are powered by “Waymo Driver,” its autonomous driving technology platform.

<ul><li> Analyst QuickTake: When considering Waymo’s operations in Arizona, the company has been testing its fully autonomous technology on public roads in the state since 2017. In 2018, the company commercially launched a robotaxi service (with a safety driver) in Phoenix–where customers can book rides through its smartphone app–and continued to introduce driverless public ride-hail services in several Phoenix suburbs which today includes Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and Tempe. Downtown Phoenix will add to this growing list once launched to the wider public in the future.</ul>