Hello Toronto! Waymo is En Route

This one isn't really about home energy upgrades, but here's what's happening: Waymo, the self-driving car company, is bringing its autonomous ride-hailing service to Toronto, with a goal of welcoming its first riders in 2028. Over the coming days, Waymo vehicles will start appearing on Toronto streets, but with human drivers at the wheel at first. The company is mapping local streets in detail and testing with trained specialists before letting the cars drive themselves, to make sure the technology handles Toronto's roads and weather.

Waymo is partnering with Element Fleet Management, a Toronto-based company, to handle vehicle upkeep and operations, and says the partnership will create hundreds of jobs over time in areas like fleet maintenance and customer service. The company also points to safety data from its operations elsewhere, claiming 95 percent fewer crashes involving serious injury compared to human drivers, and says it's working with accessibility groups such as CNIB and BALANCE for Blind Adults as it builds out the service.

For homeowners, this doesn't affect energy bills, rebates, or home upgrades — it's a transportation and jobs story, not an energy one. If you live in or near Toronto, it may eventually mean a new way to get around the city, but that's still a couple of years off, and the company says it will share more as the rollout continues.