Waymo is set to make its way to Toronto, but the journey ahead will be filled with challenges posed by snowy conditions, requiring time and extensive training data to overcome, experts say.
The U.S.-based company announced its intention to commence testing on the streets of Toronto, the largest city in Canada, with human drivers in control, starting in the following days. This testing phase forms part of the company’s initiatives for mapping and ensuring safety protocols.
Waymo aims to introduce autonomous taxi services for riders to hail by 2028 in Toronto. The testing process will be conducted round-the-clock throughout the week to ensure the technology can adapt effectively to Toronto’s specific driving conditions, which are likely to be impacted by snow, according to Steven Waslander, a professor and Robotics Institute director at the University of Toronto.
The company’s expansion into Toronto marks a shift to more challenging weather conditions as the majority of Waymo’s previous operations have been in warmer and drier cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix. Snow and ice present unique challenges for autonomous vehicles, affecting the functionality of cameras, radar, and lidar systems crucial for mapping the environment.
Krzysztof Czarnecki, an engineering professor at the University of Waterloo, explains that adverse weather conditions can hinder the effectiveness of sensors and systems in autonomous vehicles. Snow-covered objects, changes in driver behavior in snowy conditions, and obscured signs pose additional challenges for the technology to navigate safely.
Despite these challenges, Waymo has been actively testing its technology in snowy regions like upstate New York and Michigan, and also operates in Denver, Colorado. The company has accumulated substantial driving hours in snowy weather to enhance its autonomous driving capabilities and adapt to diverse weather conditions.
To address the challenges posed by winter conditions, Waymo employs various strategies such as using heaters and mini windshield wipers to maintain clear sensors. The company also gathers real-time weather data during vehicle operations to enhance the system’s adaptability to changing weather conditions.
While Waymo continues to make advancements in winter driving capabilities, it aims to start its ride-hailing service in Toronto by 2028 after addressing and resolving the technical challenges associated with snowy conditions. Expanding operations into snowy markets will provide valuable data to improve the system’s performance in adverse weather conditions.