By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Waymo has temporarily stopped its driverless cars from using freeways in Phoenix as the company works to improve how the vehicles handle construction zones.
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“We are committed to being good neighbors for our riders and our communities. As part of that commitment, we make proactive decisions including temporarily pausing aspects of our service,” a Waymo spokesperson said. “We know riders count on us to get around, and we appreciate their patience as we work to get them where they’re going safely and reliably.”
Waymo began offering rides on Phoenix freeways back in November, 2025.
For some riders, using a driverless car is a new experience. One rider said it was kind of interesting and compared it to the Jetsons. For others, it has become the go-to way to get around.
Andrew Maynard, who has been tracking autonomous vehicle technology across the country, said the move should not cause concern.
“I think it’s a healthy indication that Waymo paying very close attention to what’s happening, and they’re acting fairly fast when it looks like things aren’t happening the way they thought,” Maynard said. “The one little frisson of concern, of course, is that if you’re a user of Waymo, you expect it to be safe.”
Maynard said the technology has come a long way in a short amount of time, though he personally finds it a downer that he can no longer take Waymo along the freeway.
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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there have been 39 Waymo-related crashes in Arizona so far this year, after 96 reported last year.
Despite those numbers, one rider said he still feels safer in a driverless car than with a human behind the wheel.
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