Waymo is coming to Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio

Waymo is coming to Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio and members of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas could not be more excited. Autonomous vehicles are a game-changer for blind people who want to go where they want on their own timeline, and the relationship Waymo has built with our community will make it possible for blind travelers to experience a whole new level of independence. 

Blind people have always been able to ride a bus or taxi around town, but for the first time in history, those of us who are blind will be able to call a car when we want it and travel across town or across the country independently. We won’t have to worry about a ride denial because we use a service animal, and we will have full control over our own schedule. That is freedom.

Waymo has included blind people in every phase of the design process and has implemented important accessibility features that will eliminate the barriers we currently experience when we need to use an automobile to travel. For example, a blind traveler can locate the vehicle by asking it to honk, and other audio cues are available as well.

The concept of universal design is not a new one, but rarely has a company integrated the lived experiences of blind people into its product as Waymo has. In the past, other people have taken control of our freedom of movement. In the future, that won’t be the case. Working in concert with the National Federation of the Blind, Waymo will help to change that dynamic and make it possible for blind people to live the lives they want.

Read the Waymo Blog post announcing this expansion of service, and download the Waymo app so you’ll be ready when they send your invitation to ride.