Read more: How the Waymo Driver Manages Severe Winter Weather

Waymo describes how its Driver handles winter conditions, using cameras, radar and lidar with heaters and micro-wipers to keep sensors clear, and measuring real-time traction to adjust steering, braking and acceleration. The company says it may slow, limit or pause service when weather exceeds the boundaries defined by its Safety Framework, drawing on fleet-shared road data, forecasts and local officials. Waymo says it has accumulated tens of thousands of real-world miles in snowy regions including Upstate New York, Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the Sierra Nevada, and will conduct closed-course evaluations and heavy snowfall data collection in Alaska this season.