In 2020, Waymo began offering fully driverless rides to the public in Phoenix, turning the city into the closest thing the U.S. has to a real-world laboratory for autonomous vehicles (AVs). What began as a cautious pilot program has since grown into a sprawling robotaxi network that now includes freeway travel and service to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Since then, Waymo has expanded to cities including San Francisco and Austin, while rivals like Tesla and Zoox are racing to deploy their own autonomous fleets. But the technology’s spread has come with a steady stream of logistical and political questions for the cities hosting it (especially since Phoenix, with its wide roads and relatively simple grid, represents one of the easier environments for autonomous vehicles to navigate).
Fast Company spoke with Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego this week at Austin’s South by Southwest Festival about what it’s actually like to govern a city where driverless cars are more fully integrated into the transportation system. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
You’ve overseen Phoenix during the whole arc of Waymo’s rollout. What’s changed in the city once AVs moved from a pilot to something residents can actually use?
People have really appreciated Waymo’s expansion onto the freeways, because they can get where they’re going more quickly if it’s a longer distance. When we started, we were the first airport to have autonomous service in the world, which is a point of pride for Phoenix. We originally started pickups at our Sky Train, and now we’ve moved to the curb. We tried to be very safety-focused and make sure we tested and piloted before we did full deployment. It’s a point of pride for us that we were the first in the world to have autonomous vehicle service at the airport. We think it really shows we’re a technology-forward city and that we’re willing to embrace innovation.
What’s been the biggest benefit of having those Waymos on the streets in Phoenix?
We had a real shortage of drivers, so more people have the ability to get where they’re going, particularly during hours like overnight when it’s harder to find people who want to be working. So it’s really improved quality of life for riders. We’ve also seen some traffic-calming impacts. The Waymos go the speed limit. Phoenix has above-average traffic speeds for big cities in the United States, so speeding and red-light running are challenges for us. Waymos follow traffic rules, so that’s helped have a traffic-calming effect.
