Circumstances basically force them into betting the farm. Whether they want SDCs or not, if someone scoops them on SDCs, it's an existential threat to their business.
Sure, and also paying the drivers is a big part of the reason they aren't making money yet. Nevertheless, I don't think it changes the fact that there is a big temptation for someone to start cutting corners if it's not moving along fast enough.
Oh yeah, I'm not disagreeing with you. I think it actually makes the temptation much worse. They've built this business with billions in revenue, and they will probably lose it all if this SDC doesn't succeed.
What's more, a lot of people seem to think Waymo's tech is further along. So not only does this project have to succeed, it is also the underdog. So no wonder they're aggressive.
