Waymo

Autonomous Vehicles – A Key Industry in Arizona

Autonomous Vehicles in the PHX East Valley

Autonomous vehicles, once a concept of science fiction, are suddenly becoming a reality thanks to big names in the technology and transportation industry. These companies such as Waymo, Intel and GM among others have helped pave the way for the future of safe and efficient transportation.

Self-driving vehicles have the potential to dramatically reduce distracted driving fatalities, and eliminate the human error element in driving. This transformative technology also holds the promise of increasing the mobility of those who can’t operate a vehicle from the old, young and those with disabilities.

Arizona and more specifically the PHX East Valley, has become one of the leading areas for autonomous vehicle testing in the U.S. Due to the amazing weather and the support of Governor Doug Ducey, this region has become a hub for self-driving vehicles sparking industry leaders such as Ford and GM to also move their driverless car operations to Arizona.

Waymo, the Driving Force

Waymo, which is a subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc., has been leading the way in the autonomous vehicle industry.

In early 2016, the company began testing in the Greater Phoenix area and has since partnered with Intel who has a large presence in Chandler, Arizona to design, build and test the vehicles right here in our region. As the industry continues to evolve, the company has taken the initiative in educating the local, Arizona community through their “Let’s Talk Self-driving” campaign for which they have partnered with our organization, the Foundation for Blind Children, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other nationally recognized organizations who are taking a stand to help educate the public on how self-driving cars can transform our lives.

Development and Testing Continues

In late 2017, Waymo announced that some of the vehicles in their Chandler, Arizona fleet would no longer have a driver behind the wheel (You can read more on this here).  However, most of the company’s fleet still operates with a test driver behind the wheel to take control in the event of vehicle error.  In addition, Waymo launched an Early Rider program for select members of the Arizona community. This allows the public to share in the self-driving vehicle testing experience. (You can read more on this here).

As of today, Waymo’s fleet has collectively driven over 5 million miles and adding more miles each day.

Read more about self-driving vehicles in the PHX East Valley below:

Why The PHX East Valley is Primed for Self-driving Vehicles

Co-Authored by City of Chandler Mayor, Jay Tibshraeny and EVP President & CEO, John Lewis

The PHX East Valley always has been a place for automotive innovation.

Hot weather and wide open spaces drove General Motors to the area in 1953 when the automobile giant opened its Desert Proving Ground in Mesa. For 56 years, new prototypes and automotive systems were tested on a track hidden behind barbed wire and tall earthen berms.

More recently, an equally welcoming climate driven by economic development and a talent-rich workforce sparked GM’s interest again as it established its Information Technology Innovation Center – one of just four in the nation – in Chandler.

Now, GM, with chip giant Intel Corp., Waymo (formerly the Google Self-Driving Car Project) and other forward-thinking businesses are establishing a hub for self-driving vehicles — each laser-focused on research and testing to positively impact drivers worldwide.

That is important, because according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 962 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes last year in Arizona alone, a 7.2 percent increase since 2015. The vast majority of accidents are attributed to human error.

High-tech solutions to this safety problem are moving forward on local streets with a fleet of 600 minivans operating on self-driving technology. A deal between Waymo and ride-hailing company Lyft enables consumers to ride in vehicles with autonomous car sensors. Waymo also has a facility in Chandler where vehicles are maintained and data is analyzed.

Microchip Technology, NXP, Maxim Integrated, Garmin and Rogers Corp., along with dozens of other firms in the auto-tech supply chain, are joining the region in an environment so charged during the past 18 months that the self-driving vehicles cluster already is at critical mass.

This momentum is due, in part, to the welcoming tone of local leaders — from Gov. Doug Ducey to local city councils and transportation committee members who wholeheartedly embrace the concept of self-driving cars. In fact, Arizona is one of five states with governors who have issued orders supporting development of autonomous vehicles.

The region also offers auto tech companies a friendly regulatory and tax environment by being located in a U.S. Foreign Trade Zone, enabling them to enhance their cost-competitiveness through tax incentives.

And the PHX East Valley national branding initiative of East Valley Partnership, is promoting the region as ia magnet for self-driving vehicles because of its top-notch talent.

In Chandler, an estimated 25,000 people work in advanced manufacturing or software development, and other East Valley cities boast a growing technology workforce, too. As important is access to additional training through Arizona State University and the East Valley Institute of Technology, among other schools.

Knowing all this, it is no wonder why the East Valley is driving the next generation of transportation in Arizona, across the nation and throughout the world. Unlike other areas that are testing self-driving vehicles, in our region, there are very few potholes.

Original Article via Phoenix Business Journal

Let’s Talk Self-Driving Cars

By John Krafcik, CEO of Waymo Inc.

“Is that a self-driving car?” “How does it know what to do?” “Are they safe?” “When can I ride in one myself?”

People who see our self-driving cars on the road often have a lot of questions. This is especially true now in the Greater Phoenix region of Arizona, where the sight of self-driving cars being tested on public roads is commonplace. Since we began our early rider program in April, local residents have been using our self-driving vehicles, with a test driver on board, to commute to work, go grocery shopping, and take their kids to soccer practice. There’s a lot to talk about when it comes to self-driving cars. As with any new technology, there’s great enthusiasm and curiosity about self-driving cars – and there’s some confusion, too.

That’s why we’re joining forces with a diverse group of organizations – Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the National Safety Council, the Foundation for Blind Children, the East Valley Partnership, and the Foundation for Senior Living – to launch the world’s first public education campaign for fully self-driving cars. The “Let’s Talk Self Driving” campaign will focus on engaging the public in diverse and creative ways to increase education and understanding about how this new technology can help address some of the biggest safety challenges on our roads today.

Education begins with awareness, so we’re beginning this campaign with a series of digital and outdoor advertising campaigns in Arizona. Our hope is to grow this conversation into a national dialogue and provide opportunities for people to get up close with this technology.

Together, we all share excitement at the potential for self-driving cars to one day open doors to safer and easier transportation for millions of people. When 94% of road crashes today involve human error, self-driving cars promise a future where anyone can ride with a driver that never gets drunk, tired, or distracted.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church: “Fully-autonomous vehicle technology holds incredible potential to completely eliminate drunk driving and other causes of traffic deaths. This is a critical time in traffic safety as all traffic fatalities, including those caused by drunk drivers, have increased during the past two years after years of steady decline. We must look for new ways to stop old problems.”

 MADD

 

 

 

 

 

National Safety Council:

National Safety Council President and CEO Deborah A.P. Hersman: “We are pleased to be a part of this campaign and ensure safety has a seat at the table. As the nation’s leading safety advocate for more than 100 years, we know all roadway deaths are completely preventable. Automation holds incredible promise but as our driving culture evolves, Americans will need to understand what self-driving vehicles can and cannot do. We look forward to working with Waymo and all of our partners to educate drivers, raise awareness, and eliminate all roadway deaths.”

 NSC

 

 

 

 

 

Foundation for Blind Children

Foundation for Blind Children CEO Marc Ashton: “At the Foundation for Blind Children, we believe vision loss is a diagnosis, not a disability. Our kids overcome every obstacle put in their way and they succeed. The national unemployment rate for visually impaired adults is 70%. The unemployment rate for FBC graduates is 5%. Adding a reliable means of transportation to the independent living skills we’re already teaching will be a game changer for so many of our clients.”

FBC

 

 

 

 

 

Foundation for Senior Living

Foundation for Senior Living CEO Tom Egan: “Enhancing independence for seniors and adults with disabilities is at the core of Foundation for Senior Living’s mission. Often, the people we serve must rely upon family members or friends to provide transportation to doctor appointments and the grocery store. Fully self-driving cars would remove this barrier for so many in our community, giving them the independence and dignity they deserve.”

 FSL

 

 

 

 

 

East Valley Partnership

President and CEO of East Valley Partnership John Lewis: “The East Valley Partnership is proud that our region’s innovative business climate supports the future of autonomous transportation to reduce congestion on the road, ensure driver safety and get people where they need to go. We are pleased to be partnering with Waymo on the ‘Let’s Talk Self Driving’ awareness campaign as we look to educate the region on transportation of the future.”

EVP

 

 

 

 

 

You could join too

We’re calling on others to join us and share their own reasons for how why this technology could change their life or the lives of a loved ones and why it is meaningful to them. You can learn more by visiting LetsTalkSelfDriving.com.

 

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