Introduction to Waymo’s Autonomous Fleet
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has been secretive about the size of its autonomous fleet, which includes vehicles used for testing and commercial robotaxi operations. However, the company has finally provided some insight into its commercial fleet.
The Size of the Commercial Fleet
Waymo has announced that it has more than 1,500 commercial robotaxis in operation. The company is also working to expand its fleet through a multi-million-dollar investment with Magna, a contract manufacturer, to build over 2,000 autonomous I-Pace vehicles at a new factory in Arizona.
The New Factory in Arizona
The new factory, located in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa, is a 239,000-square-foot facility that will be used to integrate Waymo’s self-driving system into the I-Pace vehicles. The factory’s location was chosen due to its proximity to Waymo’s robotaxi markets in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, as well as its consistent weather, which makes it ideal for the validation process.
The Production Process
Waymo has received the final delivery of I-Pace vehicles from Jaguar and will now work with Magna to integrate the self-driving system into the vehicles. The company has implemented a new process designed to speed up the production-to-validation-to-public use process, allowing the autonomous vehicles to drive themselves out of the facility and directly into service. In fact, these vehicles can pick up their first public passengers in less than 30 minutes after leaving the factory.
Future Plans
The Mesa factory is designed to handle other vehicle platforms, including the integration of the sixth-generation of Waymo’s self-driving system into the Zeekr RT later this year. The plant will also introduce an automated assembly line and other efficiencies over time, allowing it to build tens of thousands of fully autonomous Waymo vehicles per year when operating at full capacity.
Conclusion
Waymo’s announcement provides a glimpse into the company’s commercial autonomous fleet and its plans for expansion. With the new factory in Arizona and its partnership with Magna, Waymo is well on its way to increasing its fleet and bringing autonomous transportation to more people. The company’s innovative production process and commitment to efficiency will likely play a key role in its success in the autonomous vehicle market.
