Waymo Hits the Highway and Should Build Its Own Pit Crew

This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk discuss Grayson’s recent field work in Silicon Valley and Walt’s observations in London.

Together they examine Waymo’s technical milestones, specifically Grayson’s first-hand experience on the highway and at SFO. During Grayson’s ride from SFO to Mountain View, he noted the vehicle’s smooth performance across three lanes, its strict adherence to speed limits, and a rare instance of Waymo using its horn when it was cut off.

This leads to a broader discussion on Waymo’s rapid Miami expansion and their choice of fleet management partners. The conversation then shifts towards the competitive landscape and Grayson’s attempt to use the Tesla’s robotaxi app in the Valley, which was hampered by wait times exceeding 25 minutes.

Over in London, Walt reported on the skepticism of London’s black taxi drivers regarding Waymo’s efforts in the UK. Closing out the conversation they discussed Glydways expansion in Atlanta and Newark.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Silicon Valley and London Field Work
• 18:40 Google Gemini
• 20:59 Waymo in London
• 25:27 Waymo’s Miami Beach Expansion
• 29:16 Waymo’s Fleet Management Strategy
• 31:55 Autonomous Vehicles in Virginia, Not This Year
• 34:56 Waabi’s Robotaxi Messaging
• 39:06 Glydways Expansion
• 42:47 Foreign Autonomy Desk
• 43:26 Next Week