From a Dream to Really Riding in an Autonomous Vehicle

President Mark Riccobono and Executive Director of Blindness Initiatives Anil Lewis visited our partners at Waymo in San Francisco in March 2023. On the bright sunny day, their visit included a ride across town in an autonomous car, the Waymo One. Anil shared, "This is my first real autonomous experience, no one but Mark and I in the car…When it picked us up, it was like within a foot of the curb. It parked better than most people I know that drive. I think that this is really going to be a game changer.”

Through our partnership, blind people not only have something to gain from new technologies like Waymo’s, we also offer valuable perspectives to contribute. Including us from the beginning helps make the experience better for everyone. The National Federation of the Blind and Waymo are partnering to include the feedback and suggestions of people who are blind in the development of Waymo’s autonomous driving technology. Through its collaboration with us, Waymo has added accessibility features that let people receive added navigation details about their trip via audio, find their vehicle by sound, and more. President Riccobono shared, "Waymo, in particular, understands and values the fact that we have something to contribute and Waymo has something to contribute, and that makes it a true partnership.”