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Every year, nearly 1,000 bicyclists die and over 130,000 are injured in crashes that occur on roads in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report on bicycle safety.
With May being National Bike Month, it's a timely reminder of the urgent need for safe driving measures to protect vulnerable road users like cyclists, who continue to face high rates of injury and death in crashes on roads.
To promote cyclist safety, Waymo, an autonomous driving technology company, organized a community bike ride where cyclists shared the road with a fully autonomous vehicle. The ride included nearly two dozen cyclists from two local cyclist safety organizations, 3 Feet Please and Tempe Bicycle Action Group, and showcased how Waymo’s technology protects cyclists.
David Waechter, president of 3 Feet Please, an organization with a mission to educate people about the laws in each state that are required when vehicles or other motorized vehicles pass cyclists or other vulnerable road users, was one of several Phoenix-area cycling safety advocates who took his first ride with Waymo One. After riding alongside the group of cyclists on the road, he says that this new technology is critical to changing the status quo for cyclist safety.
“I came at it as a bit of a skeptic,” said David. “I am a complete convert now. I think this technology is fantastic.”
Waymo’s fully autonomous driving technology, known as the Waymo Driver, is designed with direct feedback from the company’s internal cyclist interest group, ensuring the challenges of many types of cyclists are taken into account throughout development. Using an advanced lidar system, the vehicle can make the safest decisions, keeping vulnerable road users like cyclists safe.
Steven Gerner, president of Tempe Bicycle Action Group, a nonprofit organization focused on making cycling a safe and convenient form of transportation, rode his bike alongside the Waymo vehicle as part of the community ride. He says that while he didn’t know what to expect from an autonomous vehicle, the Waymo Driver’s ability to see and differentiate each type of road user made him feel secure.
With 29 cameras providing 360-vision up to three football fields away, Waymo’s system for alerting passengers of approaching cyclists is a stride for safety. Waymo One can proactively detect and alert drivers of approaching cyclists, deterring passengers from opening the door into their path.
“When you see the vehicle operate, it's seamless,” says Steven. “You can see it's so safe, it's so cautious around everyone.”
Learn more at waymo.com.
