Photo: Waymo
Better known for its autonomous taxi service, Waymo is also involved in advancing autonomous trucks for freight transportation through Waymo Via. The company is currently testing Class-8 heavy-duty trucks operated by the Waymo Driver technology in various U.S. locations and, apparently, it’s going so well that the operations across Texas, Arizona, and California, will be expanded.
First of all, Alphabet’s self-driving arm announced that it’s building a dedicated trucking hub in South Dallas, which means that the 9-acre (3.6 ha) facility will be used exclusively for Waymo Via operations. While it did not release too many details about this new hub yet, we know that the facility is set to become its primary operations center in Texas, and that it will be spacious enough for hundreds of trucks and personnel.
Waymo estimates that its expanding operations will also increase testing needs, and this is what the new Dallas hub is intended for. Plus, it’s going to provide support for long-haul routes across the Southwest area by connecting to the company’s other operations center in Phoenix.
The second important announcement that Waymo made was the launch of a partnership with Ryder, for the autonomous truck fleet management. It turns out that Ryder’s maintenance expertise helped not just with fleet management for the Waymo Via testing sites in Texas, Arizona, California, Ohio, and Michigan, but even with the design and layout of this new facility. Also, the two companies are working on a transfer hub model that’s going to be built in the near future.
The new Dallas hub is set to become an important testing center for the fifth-generation Waymo Driver, a system that incorporates a complex set of cameras, sensors, and radars, which are specifically adapted for truck driving, and that focus on challenges like turning, braking, and lane changes.
Ultimately, the goal is to commercialize fully autonomous trucks, together with carrier partners in the trucking industry.
Waymo estimates that its expanding operations will also increase testing needs, and this is what the new Dallas hub is intended for. Plus, it’s going to provide support for long-haul routes across the Southwest area by connecting to the company’s other operations center in Phoenix.
The second important announcement that Waymo made was the launch of a partnership with Ryder, for the autonomous truck fleet management. It turns out that Ryder’s maintenance expertise helped not just with fleet management for the Waymo Via testing sites in Texas, Arizona, California, Ohio, and Michigan, but even with the design and layout of this new facility. Also, the two companies are working on a transfer hub model that’s going to be built in the near future.
The new Dallas hub is set to become an important testing center for the fifth-generation Waymo Driver, a system that incorporates a complex set of cameras, sensors, and radars, which are specifically adapted for truck driving, and that focus on challenges like turning, braking, and lane changes.
Ultimately, the goal is to commercialize fully autonomous trucks, together with carrier partners in the trucking industry.
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