Waymo Driver

We’re building a Driver that’s leading the way for the entire industry. Informed by unmatched experience and designed with safety at its heart, the Waymo Driver is our autonomous driving technology that never gets drunk, tired, or distracted.

Waymo One, our ride-hailing service, serves riders in Metro Phoenix every day by helping them get where they’re going — whether that’s the grocery store, work, or date night.

Learn more about Waymo One.

The Waymo Driver vs Driver assist

Waymo Driver

Driver assist

The Waymo Driver is the embodiment of fully autonomous technology that is always in control from pickup to destination. Passengers don’t even need to know how to drive. They can sit in the back seat, relax, and enjoy the ride with the Waymo Driver getting them to their destination safely.

Mapping out every intersection, sign, and signal

Before our Waymo Driver begins operating in a new area, we first map the territory with incredible detail, from lane markers to stop signs to curbs and crosswalks. Then, instead of relying solely on external data such as GPS which can lose signal strength, the Waymo Driver uses these highly detailed custom maps, matched with real-time sensor data, to determine its exact road location at all times.

Keeping an eye on everything, all at once

The Waymo Driver's perception system takes complex data gathered from its advanced suite of sensors, and deciphers what's around it through technology like machine learning - from pedestrians to cyclists, vehicles to construction, and more. The Waymo Driver also responds to signs and signals, like traffic light colors and temporary stop signs.

Predicting things before they happen

Driving situations can involve hundreds of objects each with their own unique behaviors and intentions. The Waymo Driver takes the information it gathers in real time, as well as the experience it has built up over its 20+ million miles of real world driving and 20+ billion miles in simulation, to anticipate what other road users might do. It understands how a car moves differently than a cyclist, pedestrian, or other object, and then predicts the many possible paths that the other road users may take, all in the blink of an eye.

Planning for the safest outcome

The Waymo Driver friv takes all of this information – from its highly-detailed maps, to what objects are around and where they might go – and plans the best action or route to take. It instantly determines the exact trajectory, speed, lane, and steering maneuvers needed to behave safely throughout its journey.

Seeing the road in multiple dimensions.

Over the past decade, Waymo has developed a single integrated system of sensors and compute designed to work together to give the Waymo Driver a comprehensive view of the world around it. Whether it’s day or night, near or far, the Waymo Driver is designed to clearly see what’s happening.

Lidar, or Light Detection and Ranging, paints a 3D picture of the vehicle’s surroundings. Lidar sensors are located all around the vehicle in order to send millions of laser pulses in all directions, then measure how long it takes for them to bounce back off objects. No matter the time of day, our lidar system gives the Waymo Driver a bird’s eye view of what’s around.