How our cars drive

A suite of sensors means safer rides, safer roads 

The Waymo Driver uses sensors and software to perform the entire act of driving, and it does so safely through real city streets every day. Check out our Safety Report to learn more about our comprehensive safety program.

How our cars drive: Sense, Solve, Go

The Waymo Driver sees and understands the world through a number of sensors, including cameras outside the car, and powerful artificial intelligence (AI) software — a process that we call “Sense, Solve, Go.”

Sense 

Our sensors:

• Lidar
• Cameras
• Radar

Here’s a look at each of the sensors that allow the car to safely navigate the complexities of driving while getting people and things where they need to go.

Lidar 

As one of the Waymo Driver's most powerful sensors, lidar paints a 3D picture of its surroundings, allowing us to measure the size and distance of objects 360 degrees around our vehicle and up to 300 meters away.

Cameras 

Our vision system is designed to capture more detail and provide sharper images in the toughest driving environments. With our 5th-generation Waymo Driver, our cameras provide a 360 vision system that allows us to identify important details like pedestrians and stop signs greater than 500 meters away.

Fun fact: If you're riding in our car and hear a whirring sound on the roof, it's likely our sensors being cleaned! We use cleaning tools like wipers and nozzles to get rid of dust, grime, and debris.

Radar 

Radar adds to both lidar and cameras with its unique ability to see and measure an object's speed and direction, helping us to test even in tough weather conditions such as rain, fog, and snow.

 

Solve 

The Waymo Driver uses all that data to calculate a safe route with the help of AI and machine learning, allowing the car to respond in real time to the evolving traffic environment. In other words, the Waymo Driver is able to capture driving data that is used to continuously improve its performance.

Go

Once the Waymo Driver has determined a path to take, our advanced motion control system allows for smooth acceleration and braking in heavy traffic.

The Waymo Driver is designed to be cautious and defensive. Learn how we handle uncommon interruptions to rides like pulling over, collisions, and security events.

Watch our technology in action

Sense, Solve, and Go: How the Waymo Driver handles driving safely