In cities like Phoenix and San Francisco, USA something quite cool is happening on the streets. You might spot a minivan or SUV gliding silently through intersections, stopping at red lights, navigating traffic without anyone behind the wheel! It’s not science fiction or something out of Back to the Future, it’s autonomous vehicles!
What is Waymo?
Waymo is a pioneer in autonomous vehicle (AV) technology. Originally launched as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has spent more than a decade refining its hardware and software to safely navigate real-world roads without a human driver.
Today, Waymo One, the company’s ride-hailing service using fully autonomous vehicles, is live in parts of Phoenix and expanding in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Riders can summon a fully driverless vehicle via the Waymo app, much like ordering an Uber, but no driver ever shows up. Just a car.
The technology behind the wheel
Waymo’s autonomous vehicles rely on a sophisticated suite of sensors, cameras, and lidar (light detection and ranging) systems to “see” the world in 360 degrees, day or night. Combined with machine learning algorithms, high-definition maps, and real-time decision-making software, these vehicles are designed to interpret complex road situations—pedestrians jaywalking, construction zones, emergency vehicles—and act accordingly.
One of Waymo’s biggest achievements is what it calls the Waymo Driver – a combination of hardware and AI that’s been trained on over 20 million real-world driving miles and billions of simulated miles. The result? A vehicle that doesn’t get tired, distracted, or impatient, it’s just predictably safe.
What is it like to ride in a Waymo?
Riding in a Waymo for the first time feels a bit like stepping into the future. The doors unlock via the app while inside, the vehicle is clean and modern, equipped with screens showing your route, speed, and even a visualisation of nearby cars, pedestrians, and cyclists.
There’s no steering wheel in some versions, and no driver seat at all—just comfortable passenger seating. A voice gives friendly updates throughout the ride such as when the car is starting, changing lanes, or arriving. While the first few minutes can feel surreal, the ride quickly becomes ordinary; smooth, quiet, and safe.
Waymo vehicles obey speed limits, stop politely for pedestrians, and drive conservatively—sometimes more so than a human driver might!
The road ahead
Autonomous vehicles still face challenges – regulatory hurdles, public trust, and technical edge cases (like unpredictable human drivers). But Waymo is pushing forward with real-world deployments and partnerships to make autonomous rides a practical, scalable reality.
As of 2025, Waymo is operating tens of thousands of driverless rides each week, with new cities on the horizon. While human-driven cars won’t disappear overnight, the age of autonomous transportation is no longer a question of if, but when.
How would Waymo work in Australia?
Bringing Waymo (or any autonomous vehicle system) to Australia would involve a mix of technical adaptation, regulatory alignment, and local operational challenges.
Overcoming differences
Firstly, the road environment compatibility. Australia has some key differences that Waymo would need to address:
- Driving on the left side of the road – This would require significant re-training of Waymo’s AI (the Waymo Driver) to adapt to mirrored traffic rules, signage, and intersection patterns.
- Road types and markings – Australia’s urban, suburban, and rural roads vary in quality and clarity of signage and lane markings. Some regions (especially in rural or regional areas) may have less-defined lanes or unsealed roads, which are still a challenge for autonomous systems.
- Unique hazards – Australian roads feature wildlife (such as kangaroos and wombats), which behave unpredictably and can pose serious safety risks. Waymo’s detection and prediction models would need to be retrained with Australian fauna and road behaviour data.
Australia’s regulations
Secondly, Australia’s legal and regulatory hurdles would pose numerous challenges to overcome:
- Autonomous vehicles are still in a trial and testing phase in Australia, and the legal framework is evolving. Australia’s National Transport Commission (NTC) is working on a legal framework for automated vehicles. States like South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales have already hosted autonomous vehicle trials, but full-scale deployment is not yet legal.
- Compliance requirements – Waymo would need to pass Australian Design Rules (ADRs) for vehicle safety.
- Liability laws, insurance structures, and licensing requirements would need to be reworked to accommodate a driverless model.
- Collaboration – Close partnerships with local transport authorities, urban planners, and law enforcement would be essential.
- State-based road laws in Australia add another layer of complexity.
Mapping Australian cities
Next, infrastructure and connectivity would require some work with autonomous vehicles benefitting from well-maintained roads, clear GPS signals, and high-definition maps. Waymo creates detailed 3D maps of every area its vehicles operate in. Mapping Australian cities would be a major effort requiring local teams and possibly public-private partnerships. Australia’s urban areas have good 4G/5G coverage, but rural regions may be lacking, which could limit AV functionality in some areas.
Public acceptance
Lastly, and maybe the hardest hurdle to overcome, would be public acceptance and trust. Australians are tech-savvy, but trust in autonomous tech remains mixed. Surveys show that Australians are curious but cautious about AVs, with safety being the top concern. Waymo would need a strong community education and PR campaigns to build confidence and trust.
What does this mean for our industry?
The use of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Australia will prompt a major rethink in road design and engineering. Traditional standards—like lane widths, signage, and markings—must evolve to support AVs’ reliance on sensors and digital mapping. This shift demands a move from vehicle-centric to system-integrated design, where we as consultants must stay informed on AV capabilities, engage with policy changes, collaborate with tech and planning sectors, and redefine success metrics to prioritise safety, sustainability, and space efficiency.
In summary, would it work? Yes, but not without adaptation. Technically, Waymo could function in Australian cities after some localisation work, but regulatory approval and public trust would take time. Realistically, we might see pilot programs in major cities (like Sydney or Melbourne) within the next 3–5 years if legislation and mapping progress. We’re excited where this will take us!
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