Waymo reveals robotaxi based mostly on Zeekr SEA-M platform

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Waymo late on Wednesday revealed its new robotaxi based mostly on a platform developed by Geely and its Zeekr EV model.

Alphabet Inc.’s self-driving division first introduced plans for the robotaxi in late 2021, and at Wednesday’s reveal the corporate mentioned the car can be deployed within the Waymo One robotaxi service in “the years to come back.”

Waymo One has been efficiently run in elements of Phoenix for the previous couple of years. Final summer time, the service was expanded to elements of San Francisco, and Waymo has confirmed the subsequent cease can be Los Angeles. Waymo can also be growing a self-driving supply service, often called Waymo By way of.

Waymo at present depends on Chrysler Pacifica minivans and Jaguar I-Tempo crossovers for its Waymo One service, although these automobiles had been initially designed to be pushed by a human for personal use. The brand new robotaxi has been designed particularly for a self-driving service, offering a number of benefits for firms like Waymo.

The robotaxi’s platform is a variation of Geely’s SEA devoted EV platform. This one is designed for mobility companies, and is branded the SEA-M platform. Key traits embody versatile seating choices, a flat ground, sliding doorways, a lacking B-pillar for straightforward ingress and egress, and a strong electrical spine to make connectivity and {hardware} integration simple.

Whereas Waymo’s robotaxi can be devoid of a steering wheel and pedals, automobiles based mostly on the SEA-M platform have the choice so as to add these again. The NHTSA now not requires self-driving vehicles to have such conventional gear so long as it meets the Federal Motor Automobile Security Normal.

Waymo robotaxi based on the Zeekr SEA-M platform

Waymo robotaxi based mostly on the Zeekr SEA-M platform

The precise self-driving system for Waymo’s robotaxi can be Waymo’s personal Waymo Driver. The system is ranked at Degree 4 on the SAE scale of self-driving functionality as it might drive by itself for prolonged durations, although solely with restrictions. Degree 5 is the last word purpose, as this represents a system that may drive on the identical degree as a human.

Zeekr hasn’t mentioned the place the robotaxis can be constructed, although Geely has a brand new plant in China established for manufacturing of automobiles based mostly on the SEA platform.

Individually, Zeekr is growing its personal car with Degree 4 self-driving functionality in a partnership with Intel’s Mobileye self-driving division. The focused launch is 2024.


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