Google self-driving cars will finally take passengers

Eight years and two million miles after Google began to build self-driving car technology, it's ready for passengers. Waymo, the search giant's renamed autonomous car company, will begin taking applications Tuesday from Phoenix-area residents who want to be among the hundreds of riders testing out an expanded fleet of Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid minivans outfitted with Waymo's myriad autonomous car sensors. A range of automotive and technology companies have said they aim to produce self-driving cars for ride-hailing programs by around 2020. They include Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Volvo, Nissan and BMW. But Waymo's Arizona initiative shows it's getting a lot closer to the goal.