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PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Waymo is restarting rides on freeways, starting in the Valley, after software upgrades to improve performance around construction zones.
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The company said Wednesday that it is gradually resuming freeway trips in Phoenix, with San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin and Miami to follow.
Waymo paused freeway service in May as the company worked to improve how the vehicles handled construction zones. In June, Waymo pulled 3,871 Jaguar cars equipped with the fifth-generation automated driving system to make software updates.
, the freeway-capable self-driving cars did not recognize ramp closures in construction zones in Arizona and California. Federal officials said the cars drove past ramp closure signs into preplanned freeway construction zones in Phoenix.
The driverless rideshare company said service continued as normal on surface streets across all Waymo cities during the freeway pause.
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The company said it now has made software updates, worked with regulators and local officials and validated performance through testing, simulation and real-world driving with safety specialists.
Waymo said it will closely monitor performance as the driverless cars gradually return to freeways.
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