[joshuamorton]

I've seen a Google car park. More to the point though: I feel like your definition of preprogrammed route is broad to the point of uselessness. Either that or you don't really understand the difficulty in SDCs.

>the car has to be remote controlled by a contractor

For legal compliance.

I'll repeat the question you avoided: if Waymo isn't an innovator or a leader in this space, what companies are, and what are they doing to demonstrate their superiority?

Your argument appears to be tautological. Google is not innovative, therefore nothing Google is doing can be innovative. If Google appears to be doing something that is innovative, someone else is doing it better or Google is lying.

No evidence can convince you of the contrary, because that evidence is simply Google using its immense power to mislead you or the person you're talking to.