Look out Uber, Waymo self-driving trucks are set to make waves in the autonomous industry too.
It looks like Waymo, or Google, for that matter, can't get enough attention. But it's for good reason. In February we reported that the self-driving tech arm of Google is testing out its autonomous cars in Atlanta as well as other cities like Phoenix. Around this time it was also reported that Waymo won a vicious court battle with Uber over intellectual property theft in regards to self-driving technology.
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And now Reuters is reporting that the tech giant is venturing out in the the self-driving trucking field with test runs around Atlanta. This is turning out to be the best rendition of, "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better."
Duel of the Freights
The autonomous vehicles wing of Google put out a statement Friday detailing its pilot project for Waymo Atlanta self-driving hauling, following the announcement that Uber is set to begin testing its self-driving trucking unit in Arizona. Waymo has been testing out these trucks in California and Arizona since making it public in July of 2017.
The goal for Waymo self-driving trucks is to completely reconfigure urban transportation systems we know today. There is stiff competition in the multi-billion dollar market, like with Uber, but other companies including Ford, GM, Tesla, and Apple are all getting in on the action. In fact, Tesla is already in partnership with UPS to provide its own autonomous trucks for delivery and Ford is on board to begin testing its self-driving vehicles on the streets of Miami after announcing partnerships with Dominoes, Postmates, and Lyft.
Trucking Along
Waymo self-driving trucks are being groomed to take over the industry while perfecting the tech. The company is hoping to configure the software installed in the trucks to make longer distances less challenging and take fewer stops to recharge. Highly-trained drivers will still be inside monitoring the performance and help with the take-offs and drop-offs.
This is great news for industry heads, maybe less-than-astounding news for those who don't want to hear about self-driving tech anymore.
NEXT: Ford To Test Its Self-Driving Vehicles in Miami
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