Google recently announced that Kirkland will be the second city the company has selected for testing of its self-driving vehicles.
The company, located in Mountain View, California, began testing the cars last year in Austin, Texas. There are currently seven of these cars driving on public roads in Austin and fifteen in Mountain View.
The prototypes have driven over 1.4 million miles, enabling Google to collect vast amounts of data on not only how the technology is doing, but also how well it adapts to road conditions, traffic patterns, and various driving environments.
According to Google, the conditions in Kirkland have made it an ideal test environment. Between the rain and clouds in the Pacific Northwest, and the hills that allow testing of the sensors at different elevations and angles, the software is able to become as refined as possible in order to perform optimally in all environments.
Amy Whalen, Mayor of Kirkland, commented that the town is excited about having been selected by Google for testing these cars, as it prides itself on being open to new technologies that could help improve daily living, such as reducing accident rates.
More details about the car being used, a Lexus RX 450h SUV, and the testing process may be printed in Flyers to be distributed throughout the community.
Get a Free Quote for Flyers
Location
12525 Willows Rd NE
#130
Kirkland, WA 98034
Get Directions →
Phone
Hours
Mon: 8:30 - 4:30
Tue: 8:30 - 4:30
Wed: 8:30 - 4:30
Thu: 8:30 - 4:30
Fri: 8:30 - 4:30
Sat: Closed
Sun: Closed