Robotaxis drive closer to reality as Waymo links with EV brand

Article by David McCowen sourced via Herald Sun

Driverless robotaxis are coming closer to reality, with America’s Waymo autonomous vehicle project revealing its plans for the taxi of the future.

The minivan will be built by Chinese firm Zeekr, part of the Geely group that also owns Volvo, Polestar and Lotus, and will be capable of operating without a human driver.

Zeekr will build the electric cars, while Waymo – part of the Alphabet group that includes Google – will equip them with its own self-driving sensors and software currently under development in the US.

​Details surrounding the project are limited.

The American company has not announced when the Waymo One ride-hailing service will be rolled out beyond initial trials, or when it plans to take on overseas markets such as Australia.

When it does arrive, you can expect the Waymo experience to sync closely with Google’s mapping and calendar services to make it easy to catch a ride to your next appointment.

Apple and other tech giants are working on similar programs. 

Sliding doors, huge windows and a spacious “rider centric” cabin promise a relaxing ride.

Zeekr is unlikely to sell the box-shaped machine to private customers.

But it is already offering a suave-looking wagon to luxury buyers keen to sidestep established brands.

Named the Zeekr 001, the machine is capable of reaching 100km/h in less than four seconds, and claims more than 700 kilometres of range thanks to a huge 100kWh battery.

The car costs about as much as a Tesla Model 3 in China, where the company says its first batch sold out within days of going on sale.

Originally published as Robotaxis drive closer to reality as Waymo links with EV brand