Geely joins Waymo to make robot taxi with no steering wheel
By DPA | 05 January 2022LAS VEGAS: Zeekr, the electric car brand from Chinese maker Geely, has joined forces with automation experts Waymo to make a ride-hailing vehicle which will eventually have no space for a driver, a steering wheel or even pedals.
Waymo, the self-driving car company from Google’s parent, Alphabet, is fettling the vehicle at Zeekr's R&D facility, the CEVT (China Europe Vehicle Technology Centre) in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The Zeekr gets a fully configurable cabin, both with and without any driver seat or controls.
The car is being tailored towards the requirements of the Waymo One unmanned ride-hailing fleet in the United States and could also be used anywhere where road traffic regulations permit.
Waymo said the Zeekr interior will have screens and easy-to-reach phone chargers. Teaser images show a blunt-nosed EV minibus with forward-facing bench seats, a flat floor and large sliding side access doors.
Waymo already operates self-driving Chrysler Pacificas in the US city of Phoenix and electric Jaguar I-Paces in San Francisco, which have a safety driver sitting at the helm.
Zeekr was founded in early 2021 as a global technology-mobility brand with design and engineering resources in Sweden.
The first model from Zeekr, the 001, was introduced in April last year with deliveries starting in October.
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