Waymo has officially opened up its downtown Phoenix service to a small group of test riders.
Any Phoenix resident can become a Waymo One Trusted Tester. The company offers rides around downtown Phoenix between Camelback and 44th street to the east.
The company now has around 300 vehicles operating within the Valley. Overall, the company has driven about 500,000 miles to map the area for operations.
Kerry Brennan has this to say about the limited services:
The goal of that is to really help us ensure that we are getting a broad swath of opinions, a broad swath of transportation needs. We really want to know about all the different kinds of mobility that people are experiencing in the area, and we want it to reflect Phoenix; it’s a vibrant, diverse place.
If you are interested in becoming a tester, you need to download the Waymo app and complete a survey about your transportation habits and needs. Once admitted to the program, testers will have to pay to use the service.
Testers in downtown Phoenix will see a human behind the wheel. In contrast, those in the East Valley will experience a fully automated vehicle.
The company uses a fleet of Chrysler Pacifica minivans and the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace in Arizona.
Waymo did not provide the exact number of testers they are looking for in Phoenix.
