Waymo развивает интеллектуального помощника Gemini для улучшения сервиса беспилотных такси Translation: Waymo develops the intelligent assistant Gemini to enhance its robotaxi service.

Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is currently trialing Google’s Gemini chatbot within its self-driving robotaxis. The assistant will engage with passengers and address their inquiries, as reported by researcher Jane Manchun Wong.

“While examining the code of the mobile app, I discovered a system prompt for the yet-to-be-released Gemini integration,» Wong stated on her blog.

The document identified as the Waymo Ride Assistant Meta-Prompt consists of over 1200 lines that outline the behavioral parameters of the AI assistant while inside the vehicle.

This feature is not available in the public versions, but Wong emphasizes that it «clearly indicates something more significant than just a simple chatbot.»

The assistant will have the capability to respond to questions, control certain cabin functions such as climate settings, and comfort passengers.

“We cannot disclose specific details. Our team is continuously striving to enhance features to ensure enjoyable, seamless, and beneficial trips with Waymo. Some of these enhancements may be integrated into our system, while others may not,” commented Waymo representative Yulia Ilina.

Previously, Alphabet integrated Gemini into its technology stack. Waymo has utilized «world knowledge» from large language models (LLMs) to train autonomous vehicles in navigating complex and hazardous scenarios.

Wong noted that the assistant should possess a clear identity and purpose: “a friendly and helpful AI companion whose role is to enhance passenger experiences by providing useful information and assistance in a safe, calming, and unobtrusive manner.”

Currently, features such as music volume adjustments, seat settings, route changes, and window controls are not accessible to Gemini.

The prompts outline how the assistant should respond to inquiries about competitors like Tesla and establish conditions for ending conversations. The bot is designed to avoid speculating about the driver’s actions or events occurring during the trip.

The assistant can answer general questions regarding the weather, the height of the Eiffel Tower, or the closing hours of a local store. It is not permitted to perform tasks like ordering food or making reservations.

Waymo is a prominent player in the driverless robotaxi sector. The company has been developing this area since 2020 but has faced some hurdles.

On the evening of December 20, 2025, the firm suspended its robotaxi operations in San Francisco due to a widespread power outage that left the autonomous vehicles stranded on city streets.

Users shared photos and videos of the road incidents, showing groups of cars with emergency lights flashing, obstructing traffic and causing disruptions.

“The power outage was a large-scale event that resulted in a transportation collapse across all of San Francisco. Traffic signals were non-operational, and public transit faced interruptions. We are committed to adapting our technology to flow during such events,” a Waymo representative stated.

The company asserted that the autopilot can navigate intersections even with traffic lights out. However, the magnitude of the Saturday malfunction necessitated prolonged downtime for the robotaxi service, as vehicles required additional time to assess the traffic situation.

By the afternoon of December 21, Waymo resumed service, but three days following the incident, the company suspended operations again, citing a need for updates “to respond to future power outages.”

«We have always placed a strong emphasis on developing Waymo Driver for real-world conditions, including scenarios involving infrastructure failures,” the blog stated.

It’s worth noting that in December, Tesla launched trials of its driverless taxis without operators within the vehicles, albeit without transporting passengers.