Waymo is accelerating its urban mobility mission with a series of initiatives focused on the company’s commitment to technological advancement and sustainability.
By securing a substantial $5.6 billion investment to launch a new public transit credit program, the American autonomous driving technology company will be expanding its service reach.
It will also be enhancing its artificial intelligence (AI) prowess with a new multimodal model.
Waymo’s Public Transit Credit Program
Waymo’s Public Transit Credit Program will enhance sustainable travel options for residents in the San Francisco Bay Area, Metro Phoenix, and Los Angeles County.
The benefits? Think electric rides and sustainable commutes.
The service – which already delivers over 100,000 paid rides weekly – will exclusively make use of all-electric vehicles to minimize carbon emissions.
Is it paying off? Waymo is already boasting a reduction of approximately 135 tons of CO2 emissions each week.
The program comes with perks as well. For example, riders in the San Francisco Peninsula will receive $3 credit on their Waymo account, usable towards future rides.
The program will run until the end of 2024.
$5.6 billion to expand Waymo services
Meanwhile, Waymo is also set to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service, Waymo One, to more cities through a successful investment round of $5.6 billion.
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This expansion will include launching in new cities like Austin and Atlanta, in partnership with Uber.
The funding will also support ongoing development of the Waymo Driver, the company’s proprietary AI-driven autonomous driving system.
In October, Waymo also announced its partnership with Hyundai.
The move will see the autonomous driving company’s fleet expand with seven hundred IONIQ 5 vehicles. Both companies say their focus is on “sustainability and a strong electric vehicle roadmap.”
EMMA: Waymo’s autonomous multimodal model
Waymo is introducing EMMA – an end-to-end multimodal model for autonomous driving – to improve its fleet’s autonomous driving capabilities.
The model is powered by Google’s Gemini and will process sensor data to generate accurate predictions about vehicle trajectories.
The company says this modal will enhance the “real-time decision-making process” in complex driving scenarios.
In short: EMMA will be the bridge between autonomous driving as it exists now, and the integration of AI. This means the model will be adaptable based on various driving conditions.
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About the author
Cheryl has contributed to various international publications, with a fervor for data and technology. She explores the intersection of emerging tech trends with logistics, focusing on how digital innovations are reshaping industries on a global scale. When she's not dissecting the latest developments in AI-driven innovation and digital solutions, Cheryl can be found gaming, kickboxing, or navigating the novel niches of consumer gadgetry.
