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PHOENIX – It could be just a matter of months before the first commercial driver in the Valley hits the road, according to a Bloomberg report.
ABC15's Megan Thompson was the only reporter to ride inside one of Waymo's driverless vehicles in Chandler in November. It was an inside look at the Waymo's Early Rider Program, testing the vehicles with a group of people who wanted to try it first.
According to Bloomberg, those early rider program members are expected to be among the first to use the paid ride-share service -and it could happen in the Valley as early as next month.
The Bloomberg report states that Waymo is planning to launch their "commercial driverless service in early December," according to a source. The commercial service, which is currently not publicly named, will be the world's first of its kindlessness and other services like Uber and Lyft.
Their source also says that they are expected to be around the world. Some vehicles will have a backup driver, depending on the source.
Bloomberg reports that some Early Rider Program volunteers will continue to provide feedback instead of switching to the commercial service.
Waymo has their Safety Report online and it, they break down their core reasons for pushing this technology. They say it's all about safety.
Learn more about the Early Rider Program here and more on the Valley's commercial plans on Bloomberg's site.
ABC15 reached out for Waymo for Comment on the Bloomberg report and they issued the following statement:
"Waymo has been working on self-driving technology for nearly a decade, with safety at the core of everything we do.
We've been laying the groundwork for our service, beginning with the launch of our early rider program and we'll continue to market our technology and expand our capabilities over time. "
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