Waymo Announces New Partnerships With Toyota and Others
Waymo previously teamed with Jaguar to deploy its automotive vehicle technologies, but the Alphabet-backed company has a new, much larger partner. Toyota recently announced a partnership with Waymo to develop next-generation autonomous vehicles, and the Japanese automaker may incorporate some of the technologies into personal vehicles.
Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli said, “Together, we aim to combine our respective strengths to develop a new autonomous vehicle platform and explore how to leverage Waymo’s autonomous technology to enhance the next generation of Toyota’s personally owned vehicles. Our two companies share a vision of improving road safety and delivering increased mobility for all.”
Toyota has built a few autonomous prototypes and concept cars over the years, but this partnership is its most prominent move into the space to date. Neither company shared details on how the effort could impact consumer vehicles, but Bonelli noted that the partnership is still in its early days, and the agreement is only for a “potential collaboration” on personal vehicles. The most likely outcome is Toyota using Waymo tech to assist or improve driver-assistance features, including adaptive cruise control.
Waymo has also partnered with Hyundai and China’s Zeekr, and said it would deploy autonomous Ioniq 5s across its fleets. The Zeekr model is more like a shuttle or bus shape with seating for several passengers.
[Images: Waymo]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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I saw the video of the guy stuck in one of their cars driving itself in circles in a parking lot. The customer service people couldn't stop it, and the customer had to do something through the app to stop it. Sorry, but if you're gonna get into some autonomous car, you need your head checked.
I'd say the Autonomous cars drive as well as most of the other knuckleheads on the road... I have used the service 2x