Waymo driverless ride-hailing OK to go

Waymo is good to go as the United States’ first commercial driverless ride-hailing service after gaining approval from the Arizona Department of Transportation.

It aims to start this year, with autonomous Chrysler Pacifica minivans ferrying paying passengers using a smartphone app or website.

Waymo, part of Alphabet Inc., got a permit in late January from the department to operate as a Transportation Network Company, according to Ryan Harding, a spokesman at the state agency, Bloomberg reports.

The service is planned to start in Phoenix this year, but Waymo hasn’t yet disclosed what it will charge.

Last year, Waymo started a free “early rider program” in the Arizona capital, where hundreds of people use a Waymo app to hail and use cars within a 259 square kilometre radius.

In November, Waymo began testing autonomous vehicles in parts of the city.

It agreed earlier this year to buy “thousands” more Pacifica minivans equipped for autonomous driving.

Waymo also has plans for other services, such as deliveries.