MIAMI (WSVN) - Waymo opened its fully autonomous ride-hailing service to public riders in Miami on Thursday, officially expanding the company’s driverless operations in South Florida.
The service launched with an initial coverage area of about 60 square miles, including neighborhoods such as the Design District, Wynwood, Brickell and Coral Gables.
“The Waymo driver sees the environment really in detail,” said Waymo spokesperson Mark Lewis.
In a press release, Waymo said it plans to expand service to Miami International Airport in the near future.
Waymo said nearly 10,000 Miami-area residents have already signed up, and new riders will be invited on a rolling basis as the service scales up.
7News took a ride inside the self-automated, self-driving car on Thursday to give it a shot.
“It’s understanding where there’s traffic and cars, buildings, the street markings. All of this gives our riders confidence that it knows where it’s going,” said Lewis.
From the start, riders use an app to tell the car where to pick them up and drop them off. Upon arrival, riders hop into the car and the car begins its journey to the passenger’s destination.
The company said its self-driving system has logged more than 127 million fully autonomous miles and cited safety performance data from area where it already operates.
Lewis says the driverless ride is aimed at keeping Miami streets safer.
“We really believe that with its amount of sensors, amount of experience which is over 127 million miles driven without somebody in this seat, all that experience creates a safer driving experience,” he said.
While the car doesn’t have a “kill-switch” for accidents or emergencies, Lewis says with a click of a button, passengers will be connected to a human.
“The Waymo driver is always in control and that’s great because it’s the most experienced driver that we have on the streets, but if [riders] have questions or concerns, click the support button,” he said.
Waymo said it is working with local organizations to address roadway safety and accessibility needs as the service expands. They add that first responders, senior riders and riders with special needs are the forefront of their push for safety.
“Really understand that the power of having this experience for a lot of communities who often feel disenfranchised with ride hailing or finding transportation overall,” said Lewis.
Riders can access the service through the Waymo app.
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