Waymo robotaxi's 6th-generation hardware has a 'significantly reduced cost'

It's a Zeekr 009 minivan.

Waymo's 6th-generation hardware features 13 cameras, four lidar, and six radar sensors, as well as an "array of external audio receivers (EARs)" and more compute power, which was previously located in the trunk.

The previous generation (on the Jaguar I-Pace) has 29 cameras, five lidar, and six radar sensors, with the company crediting "advancements in sensor technology and strategic placement" for the reduction. The various protruding pods around the cars will still stand out, but to a lesser degree.

The new sensor suite is "optimized for greater performance at a significantly reduced cost, without compromising safety." They allow the vehicle to see up to 500 metres away, with "overlapping fields of view." Specifically, Waymo has a "surround-view of the world from three complementary sensing modalities."

Besides working during the day night, Waymo touts the ability to operate in even harsher weather conditions.

So far, the sixth-generation sensors have had "thousands of miles of real-world driving experience" and "millions more" with testing in simulations. Waymo says it's "on track to begin operating without a human behind the wheel in about half the time."

"This shared knowledge drastically reduces the miles needed to train and validate the underlying foundation models that autonomously drive our vehicles, accelerating and enhancing the development of each new generation of Waymo Driver," Waymo said.