<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Good evening everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Tonight I did a Gemini search to get the latest information concerning the relaunch of Waymo in San Antonio. It’s finally great to have concrete information concerning their resumption of service in the Alamo City. What will be interesting to see is if Tesla will launch before Waymo comes back with Zoox to follow? Waymo also plans to expand their geofence to include Stone Oak and the Medina Base areas where we and our housekeeper live and put San Antonio on the map as the first Texas City to have Waymo operating on freeways. They’re also supposed to make upgrades to their website. The information below will go into greater detail. Here it is:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>WAYMO CUSTOMER OPERATIONS & RIDERSHIP sSERVICES</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>San Antonio Service Relaunch, Freeway Operations, and Expansion Roadmap</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Official Policy Response, Projected Timeline Milestones, and Public Web Accessibility Commitments</span></i><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>_________________________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=624 valign=top style='width:6.5in;background:#F0F4FF;padding:8.0pt 10.0pt 8.0pt 10.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'>Direct Message to our San Antonio Community:<br></span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'>We hear you clearly: 'Soon' is not an acceptable timeline, and generic app-only status updates do not provide the transparency, predictability, or accessibility our riders—especially members of the blind and low-vision community who depend on autonomous mobility for daily independence—deserve. We apologize for the extended pause, mixed messaging, and lack of public web reporting following the April weather incident. This document provides concrete milestone dates, detailed geographic expansion plans for Stone Oak and Medina Base, our freeway integration schedule, and immediate web accessibility reforms.</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>1. Comprehensive Incident Review & Root-Cause Corrective Actions</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The April 2026 Weather Incident: </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>In April 2026, an autonomous test vehicle encountered rapid flash flooding at an unmarked low-water crossing during a severe thunderstorm event in the San Antonio area. While no passengers were on board and no injuries occurred, the Waymo Driver's automated terrain perception and hydrological threshold parameters did not initiate early rerouting quickly enough before rising water compromised wheel traction. In response, Waymo enacted an immediate operational stand-down across the Alamo City territory.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Corrective Safety Systems Implemented: </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>San Antonio presents a unique hydrological landscape with extensive low-water crossings, concrete drainage basins, and localized flash flood zones. Rather than applying a superficial patch, our engineering and safety teams conducted a comprehensive overhaul of the Waymo Driver's environmental sensing stack. Key enhancements completed during the pause include:<br>• Hyper-Local Flood & Standing Water Detection: Enhanced 5th-Generation lidar and camera optical depth algorithms capable of accurately measuring standing water depth, flow velocity, and submerged road markings up to 100 meters ahead.<br>• Direct Integration with Bexar County Flood Warning System: Real-time telemetry connection to San Antonio River Authority (SARA) and Bexar Flood emergency sensor nodes, enabling preemptive geo-fencing and route exclusion hours before visual flooding occurs.<br>• Fail-Safe Safe Stop & U-Turn Protocols: Autonomous vehicle programming that executes a safe multi-point turnaround or elevated curb pull-over upon detecting water depths exceeding 3 inches, completely eliminating low-water crossing hazards.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>2. Definitive Projected Relaunch Timeline for San Antonio</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Milestone Schedule (No More Ambiguity): </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We acknowledge the frustration caused by previous 'coming soon' statements and premature app reopenings in May. Below is our binding operational schedule for resuming public commercial rider operations across San Antonio:<o:p></o:p></span></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=208 valign=top style='width:156.0pt;background:#0052FF;padding:5.0pt 6.0pt 5.0pt 6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'>Phase & Milestone</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=208 valign=top style='width:156.0pt;background:#0052FF;padding:5.0pt 6.0pt 5.0pt 6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'>Target Date / Window</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=208 valign=top style='width:156.0pt;background:#0052FF;padding:5.0pt 6.0pt 5.0pt 6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'>Operational Scope & Service Coverage</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=173 valign=top style='width:1.8in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Phase 1: Closed-Fleet Calibration<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=173 valign=top style='width:1.8in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>September 15 – October 15, 2026<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=278 valign=top style='width:2.9in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Autonomous testing with Waymo safety specialists and telemetry mapping vehicles across Central San Antonio, Pearl District, Downtown, and Southtown.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=173 valign=top style='width:1.8in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Phase 2: Trusted Tester Program Relaunch<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=173 valign=top style='width:1.8in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>October 20, 2026<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=278 valign=top style='width:2.9in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Invitation of community testers—with dedicated slots for accessibility advocates, blind and low-vision riders—to resume free autonomous daily trips in the core zone.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=173 valign=top style='width:1.8in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Phase 3: Full Public Commercial Relaunch<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=173 valign=top style='width:1.8in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>November 18, 2026<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=278 valign=top style='width:2.9in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>24/7 fully autonomous commercial service opens to all users via the Waymo One app across the initial 45 sq. mile San Antonio operating territory.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=173 valign=top style='width:1.8in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Phase 4: North & Southwest Expansion (Stone Oak & Medina Base)<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=173 valign=top style='width:1.8in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Q1 2027 (January – March 2027)<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=278 valign=top style='width:2.9in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Commercial territory expansion encompassing Stone Oak corridor, Port San Antonio, Medina Base area, and medical hub destinations.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=173 valign=top style='width:1.8in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Phase 5: Full Commercial Freeway Access<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=173 valign=top style='width:1.8in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>April 2027<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=278 valign=top style='width:2.9in;padding:4.0pt 5.0pt 4.0pt 5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Autonomous high-speed highway routing without safety drivers along I-10, Loop 410, Loop 1604, and US-281.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>3. Detailed Territory Expansions: Stone Oak and Medina Base Corridors</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Strategic Priority Areas: </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>San Antonio riders have rightfully emphasized that suburban and employment centers require autonomous access just as much as urban downtown cores. Our Phase 4 expansion directly addresses these critical corridors:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Geographic & Destination Specifics: </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>• Stone Oak & North Central San Antonio: Coverage expanding along the US-281 North and Loop 1604 corridor. Key served destinations will include North Central Baptist Hospital, Methodist Hospital Stone Oak, Canyon Golf Road residential neighborhoods, and major retail hubs at Village at Stone Oak. Mapping vehicles begin active high-definition scanning in December 2026.<br>• Medina Base Road, Lackland Corridor & Port San Antonio: Dedicated coverage encompassing the Medina Base Road corridor, Port San Antonio innovation campus (Boeing Center at Tech Port), and connections to Southwest Military Drive. This expansion delivers vital transit independence to tech workers, military personnel, and south-side residential communities.<br>• Medical Center & University Corridor Integration: Seamless routing between the South Texas Medical Center, UT Health San Antonio, and UTSA Main Campus.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>4. San Antonio as Texas's First Autonomous Freeway Testing & Commercial Hub</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Highway Integration Commitment: </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We share your objective of bringing high-speed highway routing to Texas, matching what we have achieved across our expansive service territories in Phoenix (including Sky Harbor Airport freeway connections), the San Francisco Bay Area, and Los Angeles.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Freeway Execution Plan: </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>San Antonio will be the first city in Texas where Waymo deploys fully driverless freeway operations. Navigating the expansive Alamo City geography requires high-speed connections across arterial loops. Our phased freeway roadmap includes:<br>1. High-Speed Sensor & Merge Validation: Closed-loop autonomous testing on I-10 West (McDermott Freeway), Loop 410 (Connally Loop), and US-281 during off-peak hours beginning November 2026.<br>2. Loop 1604 & Express Connector Mapping: Integration of active construction zones, managed lane entries, and complex flyover interchanges (e.g., Loop 1604 at US-281 and I-10 Interchange).<br>3. Commercial Passenger Highway Routing (Target: April 2027): Eliminating surface-street-only detours, cutting travel times by up to 45% between Downtown, Stone Oak, San Antonio International Airport (SAT), and Medina Base / Port San Antonio.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>5. Web Transparency, Service Status Visibility, and Blind Accessibility</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Accessibility & Information Transparency Reform: </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Waymo was founded on the vision of self-driving technology empowering individuals who cannot drive, including people who are blind or low vision. We acknowledge our failure in restricting real-time service status solely to the mobile app and failing to maintain accessible, transparent status information on our public website.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Concrete Commitments: </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Effective September 1, 2026, Waymo is instituting the following accessibility and communication protocols:<br>• Public Service Status & Relaunch Webpage: Real-time operational status, weather hold alerts, active operating boundary maps, and relaunch milestone dates will be maintained at waymo.com/san-antonio and waymo.com/status.<br>• Full Screen Reader Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA Compliant): All online interactive maps, service status banners, and milestone announcements are coded with robust ARIA landmarks, alt-text descriptions, and structured text summaries for JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack users.<br>• Direct Community Advisory Sessions: Waymo's Accessibility Operations Team will host quarterly virtual briefings and in-person vehicle tactile orientation sessions in San Antonio starting October 2026, allowing blind and low-vision riders to experience the in-cabin audio cues, Braille controls, and exterior locator chimes before commercial launch.<br>• Automated SMS/Email Milestone Alerts: Riders can subscribe to text or email notifications for territory openings and freeway availability without having to repeatedly check the mobile application.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Sincerely,<br>Waymo Customer Operations & Ridership Experience Team<br>Waymo LLC | autonomous vehicle safety & community engagement</span></i><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Peter Donahue<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>