Google parent company Alphabet's self-driving car division is seeking guinea pigs.
Those with an adventurous spirit living in the Phoenix, Ariz. area (including Chandler, Tempe, Mesa and Gilbert) can apply now to join Waymo's "early rider program." Selected individuals will have the opportunity to be among the first in the world to ride in and give feedback about Waymo's self-driving vehicles.
"Rather than offering people one or two rides, the goal of this program is to give participants access to our fleet every day, at any time, to go anywhere within an area that's about twice the size of San Francisco," Waymo CEO John Krafcik wrote in a Monday blog post. "We want as many people as possible to experience our technology."
Wary of putting your life in the hands of a robot car? Krafcik pointed out that the company has been working on this technology for years, and already has lots of real-world testing experience.
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"Over the last eight years, we've been focused on the technology behind our self-driving cars: racking up millions of miles of experience, teaching our cars advanced driving skills, and improving the performance of our software," he wrote. "Now, with this program, we're turning our attention to the people who will benefit from this technology."
Through the trail, Waymo is hoping to learn things like "where people want to go in a self-driving car, how they communicate with our vehicles, and what information and controls they want to see inside," Krafcik added.
Plus, alongside the launch of its early rider program, Waymo on Monday announced plans to increase its fleet in a big way. The company already has 100 self-driving Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans roaming public roads, and now it's adding another 500 to the fleet.
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