For the last month, Waymo has been testing out a small fleet of self-driving vehicles with a handful of participating residents in Phoenix, Arizona, and this week the company has noted the success of that test by opening up applications to join its autonomous car program to all Phoenix citizens. Dubbed the `early rider program` and stocked by 600 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans, Waymo said it will be accepting `hundreds of people with diverse backgrounds and transportation needs` into the program.
The Waymo trial is extensive, offering those participating full-time, on-demand access to one of the self-driving minivans, which can drive the participants anywhere within the targeted area, equivalent to `about twice the size of San Francisco.` Waymo said that its intention in the test is to really delve into the reasons why people would prefer using an autonomous vehicle over a traditional car.
In a new video posted today to highlight Waymo`s self-driving van, one of the first families in the program mention small but meaningful advantages like taking stress from traffic out of the equation, and not having to ask a parent for a ride every day.
Our early riders will play an important role in shaping the way we bring self-driving technology into the world - through personal cars, public transportation, ride-hailing, logistics and more. Self-driving cars have the potential to reshape each and every one of these areas, transforming our lives and our cities by making them safer, more convenient and more accessible. Now, the early rider program is open up to the Phoenix public at large. During the application process, Waymo asks potential participants to answer questions including why a self-driving car is most needed in the household and how it would improve the lives of those who use Waymo`s van. Although the test is expanding this week, the company still says that it is accepting only a `limited number of early riders at this time.`
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