Waymo, Google’s self-driving car project, is looking for Phoenix-area volunteers to test its automated vehicles. 

The autonomous vehicle group, which along with Google is owned by Alphabet Inc., is seeking residents in the area to take part in their early rider program. If eligible, you will be to use Waymo’s fleet of self-driving vehicles free of charge, every day, any time, to travel anywhere within parts of the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Waymo has been working on self-driving technology since 2009, beginning originally as a project within Google and expanding to an independent company that has driven millions of miles, fully autonomous, on public roads. Now, the company is inviting residents in Chandler, Tempe, Mesa and Gilbert to apply to be early riders to ride in and give feedback about the cars. 

Waymo’s vehicles, consisting mostly of about 600 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans, are equipped with sensors and software that is designed to detect pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles, road work and more. Waymo is seeking to learn from people with diverse backgrounds, and transportation needs. The company will learn things like how people communicate with the vehicles, where they want to go, and what controls they want to see inside. The goal ultimately is to develop fully self-driving vehicles that do not require intervention, but as a part of this early trial there will be a driver in the vehicle monitoring the rides at all times. 

“I can think of no better place to push the boundaries and test those limits than right here, in Arizona,” said Governor Doug Ducey last year when he had the opportunity to be taken for a ride in a self-driving Lexus — one of Waymo’s earliest self-driving car models. “Google self-driving is a prime example of this.” In 2015 Ducey signed an executive order allowing for self-driving vehicle testing and piloting in the state of Arizona.

Waymo’s early ride program is planned to be gradually expanded in the coming months, and at this time there is no specific end date for the program. Early riders will help shape the future of the company’s self-driving technology which aims to transform lives and cities with safety, convenience and accessibility.