Waymo began as Google's self-driving car project in 2009. The early team set out to drive ten uninterrupted 100-mile routes autonomously, turning a research challenge into a sustained effort to build a driver.
The project explored purpose-built vehicles with its Firefly prototype, including a 2015 ride on public roads without a steering wheel or pedals. In 2016, it became Waymo under Alphabet. Its development has centered on translating that autonomous-driving research into a transportation service people can use, with safety and wider access to mobility as the stated goals.