Waymo Tops 10 Million Miles of Autonomous Testing

Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo unit says its test fleet has surpassed 10 million miles on public roads in the U.S.

The company also has accumulated more than seven billion miles of testing—about 10 million miles per day—in computer simulations. Waymo CEO John Krafcik says the company can learn “exponentially” by combining real-world and simulation tests, which he notes can be made even more challenging with wider variances than what vehicles typically encounter on public roads.

While the first 10 million miles of real-world tests focused on safety, Krafcik says future tests will add comfort, convenience and commercialization. This includes balancing caution with some level of assertiveness that human drivers employ when merging into fast-moving traffic, Krafcik notes.

Waymo’s latest round of tests in Phoenix is helping the company to better understand how passengers and other people interact with self-driving vehicles. Krafcik says this includes the logistics of where to best drop off and pick up passengers at grocery stores.

Krafcik says the company also is developing next-generation sensors that will perform better in winter conditions. Waymo currently is testing vehicles on public roads in 25 cities across the U.S., most of which are in warm weather areas. Waymo began testing in Michigan last winter and plans to expand to other cold weather states this winter.