Waymo Is Nearing A Major Expansion
The self-driving car company Waymo is expanding into Michigan by planning to build a 200,000 square foot manufacturing center, with the potential to hire four-hundred employees as a result.
The move was recently approved by The Michigan Economic Development Corporation alongside an $8 million incentive for the company. The entire facility is expected to cost $13.6 million to build. However, according to The Verge, there are conditions that Waymo must meet in order to build their new structure, one of which is to create a minimum of 100 jobs in the state of Michigan. In addition, Waymo would only be entitled to the cash incentive if it were to exceed the creation of 400 new jobs which may prove to be somewhat difficult to achieve.
While it may be a challenge for Waymo to create 400+ positions, they will more than likely hit the 100-job minimum threshold. Some of the positions they are looking for include engineers, operations experts, and fleet coordinators.
The new facility itself will focus on the mass production of Level 4 autonomous vehicles. The facility will also be responsible for installation and retrofitting, a process that involves adding components that the vehicle did not have when manufactured.
Alas, the creation of the new facility doesn’t necessarily mean that Waymo’s vehicles are ready to be mass produced for the world just yet. They’re still being tested and perfected in various cities across the United States. Despite this, progress is being made, as the company launched a limited commercial taxi service in Phoenix, Arizona.
At the end of the day this is still a win for self-driving vehicles and a clear sign on how they are becoming increasingly popular within the driving community.
—