Waymo is set to arrive in Toronto, facing the challenge of navigating snowy roads that will require time and training data to conquer, experts suggest. The U.S.-based company announced plans to commence testing in Canada’s largest city soon, utilizing drivers initially for “mapping and safety validation work.” By 2028, Waymo aims for riders to be able to summon driverless taxis in Toronto.

Testing will occur around the clock, every day of the week to ensure the technology can adapt to the unique driving conditions in Toronto, particularly the snowy weather. Steven Waslander, a professor at the University of Toronto’s Robotics Institute, highlighted the significance of Toronto’s winter conditions, emphasizing the need for Waymo to address this challenge, which they have not yet showcased commercially.

Waymo initially launched its autonomous driving services in warmer cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix, where snow is rare. However, the company is now expanding into regions with harsher weather, such as upstate New York and Michigan, to enhance its technology’s winter capabilities. Despite the challenges posed by adverse weather conditions on the sensors and detection systems of autonomous cars, Waymo is leveraging advanced engineering solutions and vast amounts of training data to improve its performance in snowy environments.

The company is employing various strategies to tackle winter challenges, including using heaters and mini windshield wipers to maintain clear sensors and collecting real-time weather data while vehicles are in operation. Waymo has accumulated extensive experience driving in snowy conditions, which is crucial for training its autonomous driving system to handle diverse weather scenarios.

Although Waymo has not yet validated its driverless system to operate in snowy conditions autonomously, the company is confident that by 2028, when it plans to launch its service in Toronto, it will have resolved the winter-related issues. The phased approach of gradually improving the system’s performance in adverse weather conditions over several years is expected, similar to how Waymo has adjusted its operations during extreme weather events in other cities.