Toronto residents are getting their first glimpses of Waymo vehicles on city streets as the self-driving taxi company begins laying groundwork for its planned Canadian launch.
The distinctive white vehicles, equipped with cameras and sensors, have been spotted around Toronto weeks after the company announced plans to bring its driverless ride-hailing service to the city.
However, Torontonians won’t be able to hail one just yet.
Waymo, which is owned by Google parent company Alphabet, says its initial operations involve human drivers mapping local streets and collecting information about traffic patterns before the company introduces autonomous driving.
“Expanding into Canada marks an important milestone in Waymo’s global journey,” Waymo co-CEO Tekendra Mawakana said in an Oct. 16 announcement.
According to the Toronto-specific portion on the Waymo website, testing will take place across several neighbourhoods, including St. Lawrence Market, Harbourfront, Roncesvalles, Parkdale, Liberty Village, Don Mills, Yorkdale, Leaside, East York, Summerhill, Yonge and Eglinton, Weston, Mimico and Etobicoke.
The company says testing will run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing its technology to encounter various road and traffic conditions.
Waymo is beginning with a limited number of all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles, with plans to gradually expand its fleet. Trained specialists will be behind the wheel during this initial phase.
The company has received approval to participate in Ontario’s Automated Vehicle Pilot Program, which regulates the testing of self-driving vehicles on public roads.
Waymo hopes to begin carrying paying passengers in Toronto by 2028, when customers will be able to book rides through its app. The company requires regulatory approvals for subsequent stages of its operations.
The arrival of the vehicles comes amid concerns, including from Mayor Olivia Chow, about safety and privacy implications of autonomous technology.
“Self-driving cars have to be held at the highest possible standards,” Chow said at a campaign stop in October. “I need to see what the province’s regulations are and we can have a conversation. It’s just starting, but safety first.”
Toronto-based advocacy group Technologists for Democracy have also raised concerns about the collection of personal information through vehicle mounted sensors.
Waymo maintains its autonomous driving technology has shown fewer injury-causing crashes compared to human drivers and that the use of cameras, radars and LiDAR (light detection and ranging technology) sensors will monitor surrounding traffic and pedestrians. The company has also been testing its technology in snowy conditions in parts of the U.S as it prepares for Canadian winters.
Waymo has partnered with Toronto-based Element Fleet Management to support its operations and says its Canadian expansion could create hundreds of jobs.
With files from Ben Spurr and Beatriz Baleeiro
