Robo-Taxis Have Arrived in Denver — Here’s What to Know

Life in Colorado in 2025 Feels Like Sci-Fi

Do you ever pause and look around, realizing that life in 2025 sometimes feels like something straight out of your favorite sci-fi movie?

We use Artificial Intelligence in our everyday life!

We can command a robot (Google Home or Amazon Echo) to turn on the lights in our home or turn on our favorite radio station!

Early Access to Autonomous Vehicles in Colorado

In the very near future, residents in Colorado will have even more access to self-driving cars.

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Early Access to Autonomous Vehicles/Robo Taxis in Colorado

Some of us already have access to versions of self-driving or Autonomous Vehicles already.

Many Teslas are equipped with the Full Self Driving (Supervised) feature. When activated, the vehicle will drive the passenger almost anywhere. While there's minimal intervention,  your active supervision is still needed, according to the company website.

Benefits of Self-Driving Cars for Colorado Drivers

Self-driving vehicles are expected to reduce the amount of roadside accidents, make long commutes a whole lot easier, and help individuals with disabilities and the elderly get around.

According to reports, self-driving cars can open approximately 2 million employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Read More: Trump to Relocate U.S. Space Command From Colorado to Alabama

Potential Risks of Autonomous Vehicles in Colorado

There could be some unforeseen consequences of autonomous vehicles.

Investopedia mentioned a few key concerns when it comes to these driverless cars:

• Potential loss of millions of driving jobs
• Hacker attacks on driverless cars or a self-driving car network
• Motion sickness in passengers of self-driving cars

Waymo Robo-Taxis Are Coming to Denver

Over the past few years, companies have been working on "robo taxi's" to help people get around.

Waymo, an American autonomous driving technology company, just announced that they will be bringing their robo taxis to Denver very soon. The news came Tuesday, September 2nd.

Where Waymo Vehicles Operate in the U.S.

These Waymo vehicles are in five major U.S. cities including; Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Austin.

Besides the Mile High City, Miami and Washington D.C. are also on the shortlist for these autonomous vehicle services.

Denver’s Exploratory Phase for Waymo Robo-Taxis

On Tuesday, a dozen Waymo electric vehicles were sent out on for an "exploratory phase" before they are made available to the general public, according to a report from Axios Denver.

During this time, the vehicles will be mapping streets and engaging with local officials.

Colorado Leaders Excited About Robo-Taxi Technology

Both Governor Jared Polis and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston are excited for the possibilities that these vehicles will bring to the Centennial State.

"Our state is driven by innovation, and the arrival of Waymo's autonomous vehicle technology in Denver is a step forward," Polis said in a statement.

Mayor Johnston added, "Waymo's climate-friendly technology will make our streets safer and cleaner, and I can't wait for my first ride."

Early Challenges for Waymo Robo-Taxis in Denver

There have been some reports of the Waymo robo taxis, "stalling, speeding and behaving erratically..."

If they prove to be a safe option, I'm excited to see what this could mean for people like myself who travel out of the Denver International Airport.

Read More: Denver Airport Travelers Are Surprised by the Latest TSA Rules

Testing Autonomous Vehicles in Colorado’s Harsh Weather

As someone who does fly out of DIA a few times a year, I’m curious and nervous: How will these vehicles perform in snowstorms compared to warmer cities?

We'll have to wait and see how this initial testing phase goes.

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