I’d like to share with you a unique experience I had during my recent visit to Scottsdale, Arizona. I had the opportunity to witness firsthand the Waymo taxi, a fully autonomous vehicle. While this concept is already familiar, seeing this driverless vehicle navigate the streets is simply remarkable.

I was particularly impressed by the vehicle’s level of autonomy, capable of navigating among pedestrians, cyclists, obstacles, and other road vehicles. This immediately led me to ask two questions: is it safe? And in case of problems or malfunctions, who should be contacted?

According to Tilia Gode, Head of Risk and Insurance at Waymo, these vehicles record approximately 90% fewer insurance claims for property damage and bodily injury compared to non-autonomous vehicles. This seems to indicate that the Waymo is generally safe.

However, an incident that occurred last December raises some questions. A technology entrepreneur, Mike Johns, found himself trapped in a Waymo taxi that began driving in circles with locked doors. Fortunately, customer service was able to remotely immobilize the vehicle, and the ride was offered free of charge. But this incident highlights a concern: the complete remote control of these vehicles by external operators.

Moreover, it’s interesting to note that the Waymo vehicle is manufactured in China, the global leader in electric and low-cost vehicles. Currently, the service is available in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. One question remains: will we see this taxi arrive in Canada, particularly in Quebec? Personally, I doubt I could fully trust such a vehicle, especially due to the directed autonomy.

Nevertheless, statistics speak in favor of the Waymo Driver, which significantly reduces airbag deployments, injuries, and reported accidents compared to human drivers. In August 2024, the service recorded 100,000 weekly rides, and this number rose to 150,000 in October 2024. These data clearly show that these vehicles could reduce the number of drivers on the roads, which is the primary objective.

Finally, it’s worth noting that Waymo exclusively uses Jaguar I-Pace, a premium electric vehicle. This choice allows Jaguar to position itself as a key player in this emerging technology. Equipped with vision capabilities of over 500 metres, multiple sensors, and powerful artificial intelligence software, this autonomous taxi seems to well surpass human capabilities.

In conclusion, while this technology is fascinating and promising, it still raises many questions, particularly in terms of trust and safety. I remain curious to see how this concept will evolve in the coming years and what kind of customer experience will be offered.

Will this vehicle be an exit strategy in the years to come to reduce the number of vehicles on the road? This issue is particularly relevant at a time when companies like Waymo are redoubling their efforts to develop new services in cities such as Austin, Texas, Miami, Florida, and Tokyo, Japan.