By Chuck Martin
After a temporary pause due to the pandemic, Waymo plans to resume its self-driving vehicle operations in Arizona starting on May 11.
The Waymo operations are coming back with some modifications.
Working in facilities will require social distancing, including the spacing of work areas, limiting maximum capacity for spaces and redefining uses of common areas, according to the company.
Workers will wear face masks and multiple daily cleanings of the vehicles are planned.
The first part of the tiered approach is set to begin with the test fleet before service resumes for Waymo One riders in the Metro Phoenix area.
“We’ll begin driving in other cities in the days and weeks to come, including San Francisco, Detroit and Los Angeles,” states a Waymo blog announcing the restart of the service. “The resumption of our driving operations in these locations will similarly be guided by ensuring the safety and health of our team in line with CDC and state and local guidance.