Waymo begins mapping in Northern Virginia amid autonomous vehicle push

VIRGINIA - Driverless car company Waymo has confirmed to FOX 5 D.C. that it is now mapping parts of Northern Virginia.

What we know:

Waymo said it is conducting the work to prepare for the possibility of the Commonwealth authorizing full autonomous ride-hailing.

Autonomous vehicles are not yet authorized to operate on public roads in Virginia without regulatory approval, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. 

What they're saying:

A spokesperson emailed FOX 5 D.C. and said trained specialists manually drive mapping vehicles through specific areas as part of the process. Waymo policy adviser Rich Harrington said the company maps communities as part of its deployment process. 

"The process of getting the vehicles on the road is very costly, so when we come into the community, we map," Harrington said last week during a public meeting with the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Harrington also said Waymo vehicles were already operating on roads in Alexandria with safety drivers behind the wheel and would soon begin operating in Arlington as well.

He added that the transition from mapping to launching a fully autonomous ride-hailing service typically takes at least a year and, in his words, requires "a lot of money."

Some residents expressed both excitement and concern about the potential expansion into Northern Virginia while speaking with FOX 5. 

"I would be curious. I’d try it once," Elizabeth Johnson, a commuter in Alexandria, said. 

Dig deeper:

FOX 5 has also learned that state transportation leaders met with Waymo last week to discuss autonomous vehicles in Virginia.

What we don't know:

Additionally, Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Arlington County officials did not respond to FOX 5 D.C.'s requests for comment on the potential expansion.