[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The idea of a car navigating public roads without the presence of a human driver still makes most people uneasy. Even strong advocates of the technology believe there’s still work to be done to prove autonomous cars are safe in all driving conditions.
While the technology is obviously a major challenge, building trust among consumers will also be a major focus for companies working in the space.
Alphabet’s self-driving arm Waymo is already taking on that public relations challenge. The company released today a video that offers a 360-degree view of a ride in one of its driverless Chrysler Pacifica vans, as well as some explanation on how the technology works.
According to the video description:
Waymo began as the Google self-driving car project in 2009. Today, we have the world’s only fleet of fully self-driving cars on public roads. Step into our 360° video and take control of the camera to see through the “eyes” of our car.
[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8R148hFxPw” video_title=”1″][vc_column_text]Waymo is already operating a fully driverless service in Phoenix, Ariz., allowing people to apply to be part of an “early rider program.” The company also recently said it ordered “thousands” of Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans to scale a driverless ride-hailing service.
Another hurdle for companies developing driverless technology is government regulation, but there have been some positive developments on that front. For instance, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles passed regulations this week that would allow driverless cars to operate on roads as early as April. The regulations require a remote human operator – who could be miles away – to monitor the vehicle as a fallback.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]