Innovation

In 2009, Google hired a small group of roboticists to work on what was then a far‑fetched idea – a car that could drive itself. One of the first engineers on that team was Russian‑born physicist and AI researcher Dmitri Dolgov, who would go on to become co‑CEO of Waymo. Two decades later, the company now runs a fleet of over 3 800 cars in 15 US cities, providing roughly half a million fully autonomous rides and more than four million driverless miles every week. The project is set to scale globally, with plans to launch in London by the end of this year.

I managed to successfully e -hail my first Waymo in downtown Atlanta earlier this year, a white Jaguar with a large lidar dome on the roof, and dotted with cameras and sensors that make it instantly recognisable, even before you notice the driver’s seat is empty. You first digitally unlock the car using the Uber app, and once inside, you have to tap “Start Ride” on the passenger touchscreen to get going. The screen is your control hub for the ride; you can adjust the cabin temperature, control the music and contact support, if needed. Something I find a little frustrating in South Africa (with both Bolt and Uber) is temperature control. I’ve had more than a few experiences where I’ve had to ask the driver to close the windows and turn on the air-conditioning. There’s this awkward tension between passenger preferences and the driver keeping off the AC to save petrol or playing music that you don’t like. In a Waymo, there’s none of that. No small talk, no climate negotiations – everything is there, including built-in radio options, Spotify, YouTube Music Premium, or blissful silence.