DENVER (KDVR) — Waymo, the autonomous driving company, recently announced it would be sending its fleet to Denver in the fall — and now, the self-driving cars have arrived.
Waymo cars use sensors, custom maps and artificial intelligence to drive a car without a driver, and yes, this means a steering wheel spinning with no one in the driver’s seat.
So far, Waymo has tested the cars out in six cities, with Denver being its newest endeavor. The company said the cars would be in the city by the fall, and on Sept. 17, a Waymo car was spotted in downtown Denver.
Here’s what it looks like:
The way a Waymo car works is by gathering data from the sensors on the car, then using AI to decipher what’s nearby, whether it’s a stop light, another car, a pedestrian or a cyclist. The AI is also used to anticipate what other drivers might do by taking in information in real time.
Before it can start driving in a new city, it needs to map the area with “incredible detail” so it’s not solely relying on GPS. Waymo said this includes lane markers, stop signs, curbs and crosswalks. After it gathers a detailed map that includes nearby objects, it uses it with real-time sensor data and AI for the best actions, including the speed, lane and steering maneuvers.
For now, Waymo said it’s just laying the groundwork in Denver with a mixed fleet of Jaguar I-PACE vehicles with a 5th-generation Waymo Driver and Zeekr RT vehicles with a 6th-generation Waymo Driver.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
