Would you take a rideshare car without a driver? Waymo says it’s aiming to put its self-driving robotaxis on D.C. streets next year. News4’s Adam Tuss tells what stands in the way and what commuters think.
Would you take a rideshare car without a driver?
Waymo says it’s aiming to put its self-driving rideshare cars on D.C. streets starting in 2026. The company said Tuesday that it returned to the District after tests last year.
“We’re excited to bring the comfort, consistency, and safety of Waymo One to Washingtonians, those who work and play in the city every day, and the millions of people from around the world who travel to the District every year,” Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said in a statement.
There’s one big problem: Fully autonomous vehicle operations aren’t allowed in D.C. yet, Waymo said.
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“We will work closely with policymakers to formalize the legal framework needed to operate without a human behind the wheel,” a spokesman said.
Waymo robotaxis are already on streets in Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
The D.C. Department of Transportation said in a statement Tuesday: “Our priority remains ensuring that any company operating in the District — such as Waymo — does so in a manner that prioritizes safety, aligns with our regulatory framework, and integrates seamlessly into DC’s unique transportation ecosystem."
What News4's Waymo ride was like
News4 got the chance to try Waymo last summer. A user opens an app, requests a ride and it shows up.
The car can "see" 360 degrees and three football fields away. Each car has 29 cameras, radar and lidar, which measures distances. These all constantly make decisions for the cars.
News4's Waymo was able to navigate around construction, double-parked trolleys and pedestrians. We had a driver just as a backup, but the driver wasn’t needed.
As of last summer, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was investigating at least 22 reports of Waymo vehicles either crashing or doing something that violated traffic laws. No injuries had been reported.
Waymo says its vehicles have been involved in 81% fewer injury-causing collisions, compared to those driven by humans.
Viral videos have shown the self-driving cars beeping at each other all night as they tried to park themselves on the West Coast.
Tech reporter Scott Budman with our NBC station KNTV, in the Bay Area, said the service has become part of the landscape already.
“It is probably the number one thing that tourists will tell you they want to do when they visit the Bay Area, and in San Francisco, that’s saying something,” he said.
Waymo says its next steps in D.C. include working to engage with communities.
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