Waymo is Google’s invented self-driving car driven by AI technology, kickstarted 15 years back in 2009. Now it is a separate platform called Waymo which allows you to move from one place to another in a driverless car with 360-degree perception that ensures to check the hurdles all around to drop you safely.
Here we are going to know how Waymo’s AI technology works and how it helps to run a driverless or autonomous car which is a joint integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning. It uses various sensors like Lidar, radar, cameras and GPS. A detailed information is given below about each and every aspect of it to describe how it detects sign boards and other pathways signals and controls the ride.
Before jumping straight away to Waymo’s AI technology and its functionality, let’s know a few important things about Waymo.
Who Owns Waymo?
Waymo is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., which is the parent company of Google. The company was founded in 2009 as the Google Self-Driving Car Project and became Waymo in 2016. Currently it is headed by company’ s two executives Tekedra Mawakana and Dmitri Dilgov since May 2021 after stepping down the previous CEO John Krafcik in April 2021.
Waymo introduced itself as a self-driving technology company rather than a self-driving car company. It aims to be a futuristic self-driving car leader for minimal accidents in comparison to human-driven and keep the roads safer.
How Does Waymo’s AI Technology Work?
As said by Dmitri Dolgov (Co-CEO of Waymo) it’s driverless car uses Google Brain that works on new machine learning techniques called deep learning. This technology is trained to understand and predict the future behavior of any object and reacts accordingly. It’s not limited to prediction about any physical object only; rather , it can understand the incomplete patterns and other road signals to navigate the system while riding.
Waymo’s driver never gets distracted, drunken drives or gets tired, rather it remains conscious all the time and transports you safely from one location to another. Following are the parameters that works all time behind this autonomous driver:
Mapping The Location
Before presenting the Waymo driver to a new location, the system gets trained manually by adding deep detailing about the lane, road signals, cross-line, pavements, stoppage and other even a small thing. Though Waymo driver uses GPS and other technology to understand the location, in the situation of weak signals it takes the help of the above explained manual training of the territory.
Keep Scrutinizing the Location
The sensors of Waymo drivers keep close monitoring all the time to what is happening around. It judges the pedestrians, moving or still vehicles, roadside constructions or other changes whether it is in the weather. Waymo’s most advanced machine learning responds accordingly as per the object’s future behavior. It also catches the road signals to move or to stop as per the color display on it.
Predict Object’s Behaviour
After getting the images of objects and their movement, the deep learning and the compute system then matches all with its feeded data to get close connection between the objects and predict the future behaviour.The system matches the object and predict their intentions and usual behavior.
Plan the Strategy
After getting all the behavioral information of the object, the Waymo driver then takes the help of GPS and its detailed mapping feed, to identify the best route and the action according to the situation.
AI Technology That Works Behind
Waymo works on the advanced artificial technology called deep learning that requires some special equipment that work along to get the information, judge the behavior and react accordingly. It uses mainly four systems to work simultaneously. Following is the detailed information of all these:
Lidar
Lidar term used for Light Detection and Ranging. It paints all the surroundings of the vehicle in 3D that allows it to measure and the movement of any object. Various Lidars are located all around the vehicle and send millions of 3D pictures and pulses in seconds in all directions all day and night while it’s running.
Camera
Waymo’s cameras are located all around the car and give a 360 degree view all the time. They are highly optimistic about the different weather conditions whether it is clear or foggy weather. They can identify the objects from 100s of meters ago and pass the signals. They are able to identify the traffic lights, any other spot light, construction area, moving objects such as pedestrians, bicyclers, or any other complex situation.
Radar
The above two sensors can identify the objects but can not make the decision without the radar. Radar catches the wave’s frequency and speed to identify the distance of any object and also the speed if it is moving. Once all the information gets collected all these three sensors then it finally passes on to the main brain.
Compute
Waymo’s compute system or brain comprises various advanced and high graded CPUs and GPUs. They collect the information captured by all the sensors located outside the body. Then according to the object’s behavior and the moving condition it identifies the best way and reacts accordingly to move to the safest way towards the end destination.
Common FAQs About Waymo
Where is Waymo Available?
In October 2020 Waymo started operating like a commercial robotaxi in Phoenix, Arizona, and San Francisco, California and became the first driverless car rider. After that new services are in testing in Los Angeles, Austin, and Bellevue, Washington, US.
How do I get a Waymo ride?
Right now the Waymo ride is available in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin. You have to download Waymo one App. After downloading the Waymo one app you have to wait the team will automatically reach you once you get your turn from the wait list.
How does Waymo Self-Driving Cars work
Waymo’s self-driving cars are equipped with the combination of sensors, including lidar, radar, cameras and the brain. After getting the environment’s 3D images, the cars use advanced machine learning called deep learning to process the data and make the decisions in real-time.
What is Waymo Test Driver
Waymo test drivers refer to the autonomous car driving technology without a driver. It is responsible for moving the vehicle safely and ensures that it is operated smoothly. They control the car fully and react as per the millions of pulses catched and passed by dozens of sensors. Then match them all from the trained database and judge the object’s behavior to predict the future action to control the car.
What is Waymo’s Parent Company
Waymo is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., which is the parent company of Google created in 2009.
How Much is a Waymo Ride?
As per the Waymo one app showing the cost of a Waymo ride is nominal. As of now, if you want to have a Waymo ride then you have to pay a baseline charge cost which is $5 and additionally 90 cents per mile and 40 cents per minute.
How Much Does Waymo Cost?
You can calculate the ride price of Waymo as per the details given above. Whereas the share price of Waymo is $133.62 as of today.
Last Verdict
Waymo’s AI technology is the world’s most advanced and innovative technology in autonomous driving.We have explained here how Waymo’s AI technology works and how it helps in autonomous driving along with some common FAQs. Hope you will find this article useful. Please let us know if you have any query or suggestion.
