Waymo, a subdivision of Google focused on autonomous car R&D, will soon begin testing several fully autonomous vehicles on New York City streets, determining their ability to react in some of the worst traffic situations possible.
The most important thing to note is that the cars will still be driven by a crew of two people, a driver and an observer. The autopilot software will be running in a simulation mode detached from the actual drivetrain, making decisions, reacting to the various challenges, explaining its further actions and keeping a detailed log of all of the above. The observers will then draw conclusions regarding its ability to drive in a city as challenging as New York.
Speaking of which, NYC is considered to be one of the most difficult metropolises in the United States to drive in. Constant traffic jams, two- and even three-row parking on curbs, chaotically moving cyclists and pedestrians, and aggressive driving habits of its residents are further exacerbated by often lacking road markup, as well as rainy and snowy weather. All of the above presents extreme challenges for any AI-powered autopilot system to overcome.
Good news for Waymo is that driving cars in manual mode makes the company exempt from receiving special autopilot testing permissions from the city authorities, which can be difficult, time-consuming and ultimately not that productive given the reasons listed above.
No more than five vehicles will be tested at any given time during the initial test stage. Chrysler Pacifica MPVs will be the first to hit the asphalt, followed by Jaguar I‑Pace EVs later.