By admin 
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Waymo will soon begin fully autonomous driving in Las Vegas and three other new cities, with no human behind the wheel, according to an announcement Wednesday.
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The company will start by offering rider-only trips with its employees in the greater Las Vegas area, including the Las Vegas Strip, before opening the service to the public in the coming months.
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Las Vegas riders will be among the first to access the Ojai, Waymo’s newest vehicle that it describes as “an oasis on wheels,” with subtle conveniences integrated throughout the car.
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Waymo said it has regularly visited Las Vegas for research and testing, finding that the Waymo Driver adapts to the city and its features. The company said its operational approach, focused on going fully autonomous reliably, and its community-first approach built on its safety foundation, enables it to scale faster than before.
Waymo will become the latest service to launch driverless ride service in the valley, following Zoox and Motional, who both announced partnerships with Uber earlier this year.
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This also comes as local union leaders are pushing for more regulations on autonomous vehicles at the state level, and protections from workers who may be displaced as these services increase.
Additionally, Waymo issued a voluntary recall in May after a vehicle with no occupants drove into flood waters in Texas, though the company emphasized that changes would be made after the incident.
In its announcement, Waymo cites a recent safety study that analyzed over 220 million fully autonomous miles driven through the end of March. Compared to human drivers, Waymo says the study found that their drivers were involved in 94% fewer crashes causing serious or fatal injuries, 82% fewer crashes where an airbag was deployed, and 82% fewer crashes involving any reported injuries.
The exact date when these services will become available to the public remains unclear.
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