Go' with the Flo'

about

(Est. 2009, previously Google self-driving car project) “Waymo is a self-driving technology company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to move around. We’re determined to improve transportation for people around the world, building on software and sensor technology developed in Google’s labs since 2009. In October 2015, we achieved the world’s first fully self-driving trip on public roads, in a car without a steering wheel or pedals. We refine Waymo technology through one billion miles of simulation testing each year, and our cars have self-driven over two million miles on public roads across four U.S. cities.”

design by

Manual (San Francisco, CA) in collaboration with Waymo's in-house group

related links

Waymo Medium post

opinion/notes

The old logo was as literal and descriptive as the name and oddly childish but, hey, they built a fucking self-driving car so if they wanted a logo with a kid's drawing of a cow eating a watermelon then they had every right to do so. The new name and logo is much more in tune with the upscale-ness and crispness we've come to expect from a Google design and from a company within the Alphabet universe. The name has a nice flow to it — especially if you enjoy sentences like "mo' money" — and the mobility/movement/moments foundation for it is relevant. The "W" monogram in the new logo is good. Unsurprising perhaps, but good and appropriate. Again, they built a goddamn self-driving car… a non earth-shattering logo is perfectly acceptable. It gets the point across that it's meant to represent going from point A to point B and the mint and aqua colors are friendly. The wordmark is maybe too letterspaced but it works nicely in creating some airiness in the lock-up. The "Y" aligning perfectly with the center of the monogram is a nice touch. Brand New readers will likely point out the similarities to Mohawk's logo and, while, yes, they are very similar I wouldn't accuse Waymo of copying or laziness… it's simply the price one pays for simple logos… chances are someone, somewhere will or has arrived at a similar execution. Overall, between the name and the logo and the totally adorable prototype car, Waymo has arrived at a charming, playful, and approachable solution.

Thanks to Cal R for the tip.