The basic idea of autonomous driving is, above all, the fact that at some point the vehicles will be able to drive completely autonomously, which means without any human intervention. Companies invest huge sums in this industry amounting to billions of euros. Of all of them, the most successful is Waymo, which has already emerged some time ago from Google’s project of self-driving vehicles.
Waymo, in collaboration with Chinese automaker Geely, recently unveiled the fully electric and self-driving Zeekr sedan, which will become a new part of its autonomous fleet. It’s actually a passenger pickup truck with a flat floor, a B-pillar design to make it easier for passengers to get in and out, and a spacious interior that can be adapted for passengers. There is no classic steering wheel or pedals in the cabin. All that remains of the classic console is a large touch screen with which the passenger can give commands to the autonomous vehicle.
Waymo’s proprietary autonomous control system, Waymo Driver, called “the world’s most experienced driver,” is responsible for driving on the road. It is still under development and testing, and will be used in the coming years as a fully autonomous system that transports passengers on demand. This is, of course, in accordance with the highest standards and regulations in force in the field of self-driving vehicles.