Waymo Going To Miami – CleanTechnica

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I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time! I recall the first time I saw Google self-driving vehicles on the streets of Palo Alto — in 2012! You can view some really old, bad video footage of the car here and here. Of course, Waymo wasn’t a thing yet. Google would create Waymo four years later.

At that time, I didn’t really think much about the self-driving car or Google’s aims. It was interesting, novel tech. I wasn’t thinking much about whether it could one day “revolutionize” transportation, and I wasn’t eagerly awaiting its arrival in Florida or anywhere else. However, several years ago, I gave a presentation on EVs at a conference in Florida, and someone from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) gave a presentation on autonomous vehicles and was confident Florida would be a leading location for robotaxis as they began to roll out. We have a good climate for it (no snow) and the state was quite happy or eager to be a testbed and robotaxi pioneer. So, as Waymo has gone into California, Texas, and elsewhere, I’ve wondered how long it would be until the leading robotaxi service in the US was operating in Florida. At long last, it’s … almost now.

Waymo announced today that it will be bringing its robotaxi service, Waymo One, to Miami early next year. “While Miami is known for its sun and fun, the city is also an emerging hub for innovation. Waymo’s autonomous driving technology offers an opportunity to provide safer, more accessible, all-electric mobility to Miami’s residents and tourists. In early 2025, we’ll begin reacquainting Waymo’s all-electric Jaguar I-PACEs to Miami’s streets,” the company writes.

“Fully autonomous driving technology offers a safe and convenient option to the people of Miami. I’m so pleased to welcome Waymo to our city,” said Mayor of Miami Francis X. Suarez. “Waymo’s commitment to sustainability with their all-electric fleet is the perfect mobility option to our city as we continue to prioritize low cost, clean energy.”

Outsourcing Fleet Management

However, there was a second part to this announcement too, weaved into the news Waymo One is coming to Miami, Florida. Waymo also revealed that it is going to be working with the company Moove to help manage its fleets in a new, and presumably better/cheaper, way.

Waymo will first work with Moove in Pheonix, its first market. Moove will be “taking on the management of our fleet operations, facilities, and charging infrastructure” there. “This strategic partnership is designed to maintain and enhance the clean, consistent experience that our riders have come to expect and rely on. In both Phoenix and eventually Miami, Waymo will continue to offer our service through the Waymo One app, and remain responsible for validation and operation of the Waymo Driver.”

It seems this partnership is probably about cost efficiency and user satisfaction.

“Ride hailing has transformed urban mobility over the past 15 years, yet the core experience has largely remained unchanged,” said Ladi Delano, Co-founder and Co-CEO at Moove. “Waymo’s safe, reliable, and convenient Waymo One service leads in autonomous technology, and together, we’re driving a major shift in urban mobility. Moove is proud to partner with Waymo, bringing the operational expertise to make this transformation possible.”

Are We At A Tipping Point?

My mom and sisters got to spend some time using Waymo vehicles a few months ago in San Francisco. They absolutely loved them. I think Waymo has mastered the art and science of transporting people around a busy city without a human driver. I’m very curious to see how well Waymo can scale up in The Magic City, and how quickly the company can expand into other cities. The system has gotten to the point that the mass market can appreciate it, but how long will it take to bring these robotaxis to the mass market? We shall see.