Waymo, known for its advancements in autonomous driving technology, had been working on developing autonomous trucks to transform the trucking industry. The company had partnered with Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) in 2020 to equip the Freightliner Cascadia truck with Level 4 autonomy. However, Waymo recently announced that it will be pausing its commercial and operational efforts on trucking and most of its technical development to prioritize its self-driving taxi service, Waymo Driver.

Waymo believes that by focusing on establishing Waymo Driver as a successful mainstream enterprise, it will be better equipped to tackle the challenges of autonomous trucking. The company states that advancing Waymo Driver capabilities, especially on freeways, will directly benefit the development of autonomous trucks.

Additionally, Waymo Driver will serve as a testing ground for government regulations surrounding self-driving vehicles on public roads. Insights gained from Waymo Driver vehicles will help future autonomous trucks navigate the complex regulatory landscape. Waymo emphasizes that it still sees a significant commercial opportunity for its trucking solution, alongside other applications of the Waymo Driver. Self-driving taxis are not replacing autonomous trucks but rather facilitating their eventual deployment, albeit with a slightly longer timeline.