TIMELINE AUTONOMOUS DRIVING PIONEERS Waymo is a subsidiary of Google’s parent company, Alphabet. Formed in 2009, Waymo is on a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to get where they’re going. From moving people to moving goods, they’re taking autonomous driving to new places and forging a new way forward in mobility.
2015 FIRST FULLY-AUTONOMOUS RIDE IN PUBLIC Waymo explored what fully autonomous cars could be with the Firefly. These cars had custom sensors, computers, steering, and braking, with no steering wheel or pedals. That year, the company’s friend Steve Mahan – who’s legally blind – took the world’s first fully-autonomous ride on public roads in Austin, TX. In 2016, Waymo would become an independent autonomous driving technology company. 16
June 2022
2016 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID MINIVANS Waymo partnered with the FCA to introduce a modified version of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan to their fleet. It is the first vehicle built on a mass-production platform designed for and integrated with the Waymo Driver.
