Waymo is revolutionizing urban mobility with its autonomous robot cabs. Thanks to a spectacular new round of funding, the company is ready to accelerate its development. How did Waymo become a leader in autonomous driving, and what are its next steps? Dive into our article to discover this impressive success story and understand why it's generating so much enthusiasm.
Waymo: a history of innovation
Waymo, founded in 2009, grew out of the Google X project, an advanced research laboratory dedicated to disruptive technologies. The company was founded by Sebastian Thrun and Anthony Levandowski, pioneers in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics. Formerly headed by John Krafcik, the management team has been taken over by co-CEOs Tekedra Mawakana and Dmitri Dolgov.
Their vision was clear: to develop vehicles capable of driving themselves autonomously, without human intervention.
Over the years, Waymo has broken away from Google to become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet, Google's parent company, enabling it to focus its efforts and resources on autonomous driving.
Waymo offers a range of services based around its autonomous vehicles. The best-known is Waymo One, a robot cab service that allows users to book a ride via a mobile app, similar to traditional VTC services, but with an autonomous car. This service is currently available in the Phoenix, Arizona area, and is gradually expanding to other regions.
In addition to autonomous cabs, Waymo is working on autonomous delivery solutions with Waymo Via. This service uses autonomous vans to transport goods, optimizing supply chains and reducing delivery costs.
The evolution of Waymo
Since its inception, Waymo has gone from strength to strength. In 2020, the company launched Waymo One in Phoenix, marking a crucial step in the mainstream adoption of autonomous driving. This launch was followed by a continued expansion of its testing and deployment operations in other US cities, such as San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Waymo has also forged strategic partnerships with automakers such as Chrysler and Jaguar, integrating its autonomous driving technology into various vehicle models, from minivans to luxury SUVs.
The company is investing heavily in research and development to improve the safety and efficiency of its autonomous systems. In 2021, Waymo announced the launch of Waymo Driver, a technology platform adaptable to different types of vehicles and uses, aimed at standardizing and commercializing its technology on a wider scale.
Waymo: financials
Waymo recently raised $2.5 billion to strengthen its deployment capabilities and accelerate its expansion. This latest round of funding brings the company's total capital raised since 2020 to over $5 billion. This impressive sum reflects investors' confidence in Waymo's potential and its ability to dominate the autonomous driving market.
In terms of valuation, Waymo is valued at around $30 billion, making it one of the most valuable companies in the field of autonomous driving technology. This valuation is underpinned by Waymo's constant technological advances and strategic market positioning.
In 2022, despite the global economic challenges and layoffs affecting Alphabet, Waymo's parent company, the company maintained stable growth. Its sales, although not publicly disclosed, are underpinned by its robot cab services and industrial partnerships.
Waymo: key information
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Caroline B - Freelance journalist
