On Thursday, Waymo customers were surprised to find that freeway service had been suspended when they opened the app. Trips that would normally take a few minutes on the freeway were now being rerouted through local roads, significantly increasing travel times. This change was noticed by users across various markets in the US.
Waymo later confirmed that the suspension of freeway driving was due to concerns about construction zones. In addition to this, service had also been paused in Atlanta and San Antonio due to issues with flooded roads. This decision came after reports of Waymo vehicles navigating flooded roads at high speeds in Texas, prompting the company to recall its software for the entire fleet.
The Alphabet-owned company has been rapidly expanding into new markets with the goal of reaching 1 million paid rides per week, currently averaging about 500,000 rides weekly. Waymo is also preparing to introduce a new vehicle, the Zeekr-built Ojai electric van, which will showcase the company’s latest autonomous driving software.
An unnamed Waymo spokesperson mentioned to Reuters that the decision to suspend freeway driving was made to address safety concerns related to construction zones. However, driving on local roads remains unaffected. The spokesperson did not elaborate on the specific issues that Waymo’s vehicles were facing in construction zones.
Highway trips are crucial for Waymo as they help reduce travel times and provide access to important routes, such as those leading to airports. Waymo has positioned freeway driving as a key capability as it aims to expand its business and compete with traditional rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. Currently, freeway trips were only available in select cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami.
Despite its advancements in reducing traffic accidents, Waymo has faced negative publicity recently due to various incidents. From causing traffic jams in neighborhoods to running red lights at busy intersections, the company has been dealing with a series of mishaps. As of now, there is no timeline for when Waymo will resume freeway driving or service in Atlanta and San Antonio.
It remains to be seen how Waymo will address these challenges and regain the trust of its customers as it continues to innovate in the autonomous driving industry.