Name: Waymo's self-driving vehicles will return to California streets in June
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Waymo's self-driving vehicles will return to California streets in June

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Waymo is ready to get back to the business of being on the streets of California.The Alphabet-owned company shut down a public testing program for its self-driving minivans and other vehicles in early March, as the global pandemic started to reshape society in the United States. Now that fleet will reportedly return to the streets of San Francisco on June 8.That revelation comes from obtained by The Verge, which reported the news on Saturday. The self-driving fleet will apparently be running deliveries for a pair of non-profits: , which sets local kids up with art kits; and .Waymo confirmed the imminent return to San Francisco in a statement provided to Mashable on Monday."Back in March, we decided to suspend our driving operations in response to COVID-19 to ensure the safety of everyone involved in our services and local communities. After careful consideration and active conversations with our teams, partners, and local and state authorities, we’ve begun over the last several weeks to resume our driving operations in Phoenix. Soon San Franciscans will also begin to see some Waymo vehicles back on the road, and we’re proud to provide charitable delivery support to community partners. The health and safety of our team is our number one priority as we begin to drive again in San Francisco."Deliveries are nothing new for Waymo's autonomous vehicle fleet. The company back in January, putting the self-driving cabs to work on bringing UPS packages to their final destinations. In an unexpected twist, discovered months later that putting vehicles to work on deliveries allowed them to get around pandemic-imposed bans on non-essential workers.That's not the route Waymo went with, but even after the company paused testing it behind the scenes. The company put virtual versions of its vehicles to work in testing simulations that had them running 20 millions miles each day. Live tests have already returned to the streets of Phoenix, Ariz., and it appears that California is next. But the reported June 8 return-to-service is framed as package deliveries in partnership with a pair of non-profits.There's certainly something to the idea of trusting a non-human driver that can't possibly be infected with a contagious illness. How to keep the cars sanitized when multiple riders are cycling in and out each day is an open question, though. What's more, since this is a testing program for an unproven product, autonomous Waymo vehicles still employ a backup driver.UPDATE: June 1, 2020, 8:21 a.m. EDT Added a statement from Waymo.We're ready for that sweet holocake, baby!10 hours agoByIf the iPhone is going to keep creating higher quality photo and video, iCloud storage options need to match.09/11/2022ByChoose between the new Apple Watch 8, the Apple Watch Ultra, or the redesigned SE.09/09/2022ByAre the new upgrades worth it? Maybe.09/09/2022ByTFW a shiny new watch is better than a wank.09/08/2022ByFrom editing iMessages to using Live Captions on FaceTime, we've got how-to guides for it all.09/07/2022ByI'm just gonna tell you right now, the answer is: No.09/07/2022ByThe Apple Watch Ultra has an ultra-big price tag.09/07/2022ByRIP, iPhone mini.09/07/2022ByNow we get the space references.09/07/2022ByIs 'Wordle' #450 stumping you? Here are some tips and tricks to help you find the answer.09/12/2022ByHas the word 'doomsday' lost all meaning?09/11/2022ByIs 'Wordle' #451 stumping you? Here are some tips and tricks to help you find the answer.2 hours agoByRalph is the first Black woman to win in her category in 35 years.1 hour agoByDid your fave get a pointy boi?46 minutes agoByThe biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.By signing up to the Mashable newsletter you agree to receive electronic communicationsfrom Mashable that may sometimes include advertisements or sponsored content.Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!

Waymo is ready to get back to the business of being on the streets of California.The Alphabet-owned company shut down a public testing program for its self-driving minivans and other vehicles in early March, as the global pandemic started to reshape society in the United States. Now that fleet will reportedly return to the streets of San Francisco on June 8.That revelation comes from obtained by The Verge, which reported the news on Saturday. The self-driving fleet will apparently be running deliveries for a pair of non-profits: , which sets local kids up with art kits; and .Waymo confirmed...

Waymo's self-driving vehicles will return to California streets in June

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