From frustration to excitement: The long, winding road of Alphabet's self-driving Waymo unit

Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving unit, has had a long and winding road to get to where it is today. The company has faced numerous challenges along the way, including technical setbacks, regulatory hurdles, and competition from other companies. However, Waymo has also made significant progress in recent years, and it is now considered to be one of the leaders in the self-driving car race.

Waymo was founded in 2009, and it quickly became one of the most well-funded and high-profile self-driving car companies in the world. The company's early investors included Google, Fidelity Investments, and Andreessen Horowitz. Waymo's early focus was on developing self-driving technology for passenger cars, and the company made rapid progress in this area. In 2012, Waymo unveiled its first self-driving car, a modified Lexus RX450h. The car was able to drive itself around Google's campus in Mountain View, California, without any human intervention.

However, Waymo's early success was soon followed by a series of technical setbacks. In 2016, one of Waymo's self-driving cars was involved in a fatal accident with a pedestrian. The accident raised questions about the safety of self-driving cars, and it led to increased scrutiny from regulators. Waymo also faced regulatory hurdles in several states, which delayed the company's plans to launch a commercial self-driving car service.

Despite these challenges, Waymo has continued to make progress in recent years. In 2020, the company launched a commercial self-driving car service in Phoenix, Arizona. The service is currently limited to a small number of riders, but it is a significant milestone for Waymo and the self-driving car industry. Waymo is also working on developing self-driving trucks, and the company has partnered with several major trucking companies to test its technology.

The future of Waymo is uncertain, but the company is well-positioned to be a leader in the self-driving car race. Waymo has a strong track record of innovation, and it has a deep understanding of the technology and regulatory landscape. The company also has the backing of Alphabet, one of the world's largest and most successful companies. With its strong foundation and continued progress, Waymo is likely to play a major role in the future of transportation.