Waymo to launch self-driving cars program at Phoenix Sky Harbor in next few weeks

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Google’s autonomous self-driving vehicle company Waymo says it will be launching at Sky Harbor just a week after announcing its planned expansion into central Phoenix. The autonomous rides will be using the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE car.

The company says employees will begin hailing rides to-and-from Sky Harbor and downtown Phoenix before the official launch to test its previously mentioned “trusted tester” program. That program will be open to a limited number of the public. Waymo’s self-driving rides first started in Arizona in 2017 through an Early Rider Program, which had a backup driver to help the autonomous vehicle in difficult situations or if the software malfunctioned. Three years later, Waymo launched rides without backup drivers in specific areas of Tempe and Chandler.

The company says they’re looking for more employees and “Trusted Testers” as it ramps up operations across the country. For more information, click here.

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