Google-bred Waymo aims to shift robotic cars into next gear

ATWATER, Calif. -- Google's self-driving car spin-off is accelerating efforts to convince the public its technology is almost ready to safely transport people without any human assistance at all.

Waymo, hatched from a Google project started eight years ago, showed off its progress last week during a rare peek at a closely guarded testing facility 120 miles southeast of San Francisco.

That's where its robots complete their equivalent of driver's education.

The tour included giving more than three dozen reporters rides in Chrysler Pacifica minivans traveling through faux neighborhoods and expressways Waymo has built on a former Air Force base in the Californian Central Valley city of Atwater.

The minivans smoothly cruised the roads -- driver's seat empty and passengers in the back -- at speeds of up to 35 mph.

By contrast, the Waymo-powered minivans that have been driving volunteer riders in the Phoenix area still use safety drivers to take over control if something goes wrong on the roadways.

But Waymo's goal is to get to the point where people in cars are nothing but passengers.

Waymo CEO John Krafcik told reporters the company will be making some cars and freight trucks totally driverless fairly soon, though he didn't provide a timetable.

"We are really close," he said. "We are going to do it when we feel like we are ready."

Since Google began working on self-driving cars in 2009, dozens of established automakers such as General Motors and Ford Motors have entered the race, along with other big technology companies, including Apple and ride-hailing service Uber.

The competition is so fierce and the stakes so high, Waymo is suing Uber, alleging one of its former managers stole its trade secrets and took them with him when he joined Uber in 2016 as part of an elaborate scheme.

The trial in that high-profile case is scheduled to begin in early December.

Waymo is hoping to infuse its technology into ride-hailing services such as its current partner, Lyft, and big-rig trucking companies.

It also intends to license its automated system to automakers such as Fiat Chrysler Automobile, which is using it in 100 Pacifica minivans.