THE LOOP (WBBM Newsradio) -- The country's best known operator of driver-less taxis says it's starting to lay the groundwork for potential future business in Chicago.
Mayor Brandon Johnson's office confirms that Waymo -- the autonomous vehicle operator owned by Google's parent company -- will soon be out mapping streets and checking out driving conditions.
Waymo already operates in and around six U.S. cities, and Chicago state House Democrat Kam Buckner has proposed a three-year pilot for driverless taxis in Chicago and two other areas of the state. He has said his proposal would let autonomous cab companies "do a test run" to see if the service is right for the state.
"A lot of states have not been ready and they've been caught flat-footed," Rep. Buckner (D-26th District) told WBBM Newsradio on February 4. "What I don't want Illinois to do is to not have any idea what the future looks like."
Two other proposals setting up regulations for driverless cars are also on the table in Springfield.
And yes, Waymo's evaluation fleet will have drivers behind the wheel.
