Waymo is using its self-driving taxis to create real-time weather maps

Self-driving cars often have trouble with bad weather, but the company thinks it can use its taxis as a weather gauge. Real-time weather maps are being created by the company's latest car sensor array to improve ride hailing services. The cars measure the rain on the windows to see how bad the weather is.

The technology gives Waymo a better view of the conditions than it can get from airport weather stations. As it rolls inland it can track the coastal fog. It can be important in San Francisco and other cities where the weather can vary wildly between neighborhoods.

There are many benefits to gathering this data. The info is being used to improve the driver's ability to deal with rough weather. The company thinks it can understand the limits of its cars and set higher requirements for self-driving systems. The tech can help Waymo One better serve ride hailing passengers at a given time and place.

The maps have limitations. In a warm city like San Francisco, where condensation and puddles are usually the greatest problems, they may help, but they won't be as useful for navigating snowy climates. Does it make sense to have cars measure the conditions that make driving difficult? This isn't the safest way to go about it.

This could help make the service more practical. The weather monitoring could help these firms serve customers looking for dry rides home, since they aren't allowed to operate in heavy rain or fog.