Waymo is coming to Chicago, and some of those vehicles were already spotted in the city.
The driverless car company based in Silicon Valley said it will start “laying the early groundwork” for operations in Chicago.
The vehicles are already in the city, each had drivers and were not picking up any customers. They were surveying the roads in preparation for if and when it goes live.
At least two rows of the Waymo vehicles were found inside a parking garage downtown.
“We are coordinating closely with community leaders and policymakers and believe autonomous technology can strongly support Chicago’s goals for road safety and enhanced accessibility for all communities,” Waymo officials said in a written release.
It is not clear when Waymo service will be available in Chicago, but the service is already live in other cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix.
Mayor Brandon Johnson confirmed the city was notified about operations and said, ” It was stated to the City that the company would not be presently deploying any autonomous vehicles within Chicago.” The mayor’s office released the following statement in part:
“There is no law or regulatory framework which prohibits any licensed individual from driving in Chicago. As of now, autonomous vehicles have not been authorized within the City of Chicago or the State of Illinois.
The City looks forward to engaging with commuters, workers, transit advocates and industry leaders as we pursue constructive dialogue with our partners in Springfield and pursue an equitable path forward.”
The mayor’s office said Waymo will be operating in Chicago to map streets and record data on driving conditions.
Not everyone was thrilled by the idea of a driverless car, expressing concerns over safety, especially with Chicago’s specific traffic patterns and in the case of snowy roads.
Article continues here.