Self-Driving Future? Waymo Tests in Chicago While Illinois Bill Gains Traction

If you've been in Chicago lately, you might've done a double take spotting a futuristic-looking car rolling through traffic... and no, you're not imagining things.  Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company backed by Google, has officially begun testing its self-driving vehicles on the streets of Chicago.

Right now, these vehicles aren't full driverless just yet.  Each car still has a human behind the wheel as a safety precaution while the technology maps out Chicago's busy streets and unpredictable traffic patterns.  It's all part of a bigger push to eventually bring robotaxis to major cities, but before that can happen, lawmakers need to get on board.

And that's where things get complicated.

Self-Driving Future? Waymo Tests in Chicago While Illinois Bill Gains Traction

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For the past year, legislations in Springfield have been working through concerns surrounding autonomous vehicles, often referred to as AVs.  Issues like safety, insurance liability, and potential job loss for rideshare and taxi drivers have made some lawmakers, and their constituents, hesitant to move forward.

State Rep. Kam Buckner is one of the key figures trying to move things along.  Back in January, he introduced the AVPPA, which would allow automated commercial vehicles to operate in larger counties, including Cook County and several others across Illinois.  However, the bill is currently stuck in the Riles Committee, an early stage that signals it still has a long way to go before becoming a law.

Meanwhile, Waymo is continuing its testing phase in Chicago with safety drivers, but there's no official word yet on expanding beyond Cook County.  A spokesperson for the company confirmed that, for now, their focus remains on gathering data and refining the technology.

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So while the future of driverless cars may feel clos, Illinois still has some roadblocks to clear before they become part of everyday life.