Important Innovations

  Partner to Develop Self-Driving Semi Trucks                                                            Source:  Daimler Trucks and Waymo Driverless Big Rigs Daimler and Alphabet/Google Waymo announced today that they are collaborating on the development of self-driving Class 8 semi trucks.  Specifically, they plan on incorporating Waymo's automated system into Daimler's Freightliner Cascadia semi trucks.  These are very big rigs capable of hauling 33,000 pounds. Big Win for Waymo This is a big win for Waymo which has been trying to collaborate with major, established automakers.  Waymo CEO John Krafcik, during a conference call about the deal, said it will take some time to develop the braking, steering and other technologies needed to bring fully self-driving semi trucks to market in high volume.   Highly Competitive Traffic with Tesla Daimler and its competitor PACCAR control more than 70% of the Class 8 semi truck market in the US.  But, the competition is heating up.  In

  Reopens to the Public in Phoenix After COVID                                                       Source:  Waymo Robo Taxis Hitting the Road Waymo's autonomous, robo taxi ride hailing service is open to the public in Phoenix.  The company has put years of autonomous driving research on the line to operate Waymo as a revenue producing business.  Waymo has a serious tech pedigree.  It is a business unit of Google's parent company Alphabet. Driving Plans With No Human Attendants Today, Waymo driverless minivans with no human attendants on board resumed operations for members of Waymo One service in Phoenix. In the spring, operations were suspended because of the COVID pandemic.  Now, within a few weeks, there will be open access for anyone who downloads the smartphone app and wants to hail a Waymo ride within a 50 square mile radius of Phoenix.  Next step will be to offer the service within a 100 square mile area of Phoenix.  The company has hopes of expanding operations beyond

COVID-19 Accelerating Autonomous Deliveries Source:  Waymo Big Investor Money Pouring In COVID-19 is accelerating a big shift in the global autonomous driving industry.  Business is booming in the autonomous delivery of packages, not the autonomous driving of people.  Companies like self-driving technology company Waymo are enjoying a huge boom in its business of package deliveries and a big influx of capital from investors. Fresh Capital Big players like Waymo, which is owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, are getting a big jump in funding.  Waymo now has $3 billion in fresh capital after expanding its first funding round.  It just raised $750 million in mid May.  According to Reuters' analysis, investors have poured $6 billion into two dozen companies involved in autonomous deliveries in the past seven months.  The technology ranges from drones to big, autonomous trucks. Global Phenomenon:  Future of Travel.   The growth in autonomous deliveries i

World's 1st Driverless Grocery Deliveries Start in Phoenix This Fall Nuro Kroger, the nation's largest supermarket chain, and California-based driverless car company Nuro have teamed-up for what they call "the world's first, driverless grocery delivery service".  They're offering to Phoenix residents inexpensive, same day delivery thru Kroger's ClickList ordering system and Nuro's app. It rolls out this fall. Nuro's Vehicles "Teleporting" The vehicles are all electric, with no seats and no humans onboard.  Nuro co-founder Dave Ferguson says "we can deliver anything, anytime, anywhere.  We like to call it a local teleportation service." As you can see in the photo, the vehicles looks a bit like a toaster on wheels.  It weighs 1500 pounds, most of which is the battery that powers the electric motor.  It's about the length of an SUV but it's only 3.5 feet wide. Nuro's No-Passenger Mantra Nuro's strategy

Autonomous in the Driver's Seat Waymo is the Google self-driving car project that's now a division of Google's parent Alphabet. It's seems to be leaving other autonomous car makers far behind.  You might say, it's in the driver's seat - along with its combo of laser-radars, sensors and software. A ride-hailing program is expected to be launched later this year. Road Warrior The Waymo vehicles have done 8 million miles in autonomous driving, including 25,000 miles a day on city streets.  The vehicles have 360 degree sensors, radar and software that's designed to detect people, cyclists, vehicles, road work and obstructions up to 3 football fields away.  The cars are taught on 8 million miles of real-world traffic and they're about to be commercialized. Waymo Updates Waymo just cut a pilot project with Walmart.  In the Phoenix area, you can place a Walmart order at a discount and pick it up and take it home in your Waymo driverless car.  They hav