Waymo says its driverless cars are designed to remain safe if their main onboard computer fails, using parallel computing systems so that a second unit can take over immediately. If a serious fault is detected, the vehicle’s priority is to stay controlled and pull over or stop safely, rather than necessarily completing the journey.

The company says driving decisions are made inside the vehicle, without waiting for cloud systems or remote operators. Its sixth-generation sensor suite includes 13 cameras, lidar and radar, while redundant braking, steering and power supplies support critical functions; Waymo says its computing power has increased roughly 20-fold over eight years.