Waymo will discontinue the use of the phrase “self-driving” when referring to the technology it has been refining for over ten years, choosing instead to utilize “autonomous.”

The Alphabet-owned company explained that this seemingly minor adjustment represents a significant effort to provide clarity regarding the capabilities and limitations of the technology. It is also considered a move to differentiate itself—and potentially the broader industry—from the “full self-driving” designation employed by Tesla to characterize its advanced driver-assistance system.

“Over the past year, we have examined the significance of language and how expressions like ‘self-driving car’ can inaccurately portray the work being done by autonomous driving companies, such as Waymo,” the company stated in a blog post on Wednesday. “Waymo’s vehicles do not operate independently. Instead, Waymo is focused on automating the driving process, making ‘autonomous driving’ a more precise description. The mixing of terms used to describe fundamentally different technologies—like advanced driver assist systems and true autonomous driving technology—is known as autonowashing and carries substantial risks for road safety. Studies demonstrate that individuals frequently overestimate the abilities of driver-assistance features.”

Waymo’s decision to move away from the term “self-driving” is viewed by other autonomous vehicle (AV) companies as an encouragement for industry-wide adoption. While there is general consensus on the need for precise terminology and a well-informed public, not all parties agree with Waymo’s chosen phrasing.

Several industry experts and founders who spoke with TechCrunch questioned whether abandoning “self-driving” could inadvertently allow Tesla to claim the term exclusively. Others proposed that resources might be better allocated to alternative educational initiatives.

“We are developing a driverless application of this technology and will continue to inform the public about its advantages using language that clearly distinguishes between technologies that operate a vehicle and those that assist a driver,” stated Chris Urmson, CEO of Aurora. “Instead of renaming technology in response to potentially misleading marketing from other companies, we believe it’s crucial for the industry to agree on clear language to define the life-saving technology we are creating.”

The reaction to Waymo’s announcement is partly a recognition of the company’s standing within the industry. As the successor to the Google self-driving project, Waymo is a leading force in the development and commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles, and its actions carry considerable influence in this emerging field.

Waymo, which rebranded its educational campaign from Let’s Talk Self-Driving to Let’s Talk Autonomous Driving alongside this announcement, contends that vehicle manufacturers have often described or marketed their advanced driver assistance systems as self-driving or semi-autonomous, leading to public confusion. The company refrained from specifically naming Tesla as a contributor to this issue. However, Tesla’s use of terms like Autopilot and FSD has drawn criticism from numerous automotive and safety organizations, as well as other autonomous vehicle companies.

Waymo highlights research indicating that drivers operating vehicles marketed as self-driving often misunderstand the technology’s limitations, potentially leading to misuse. The company referenced a 2019 study where half of respondents believed a driver-assist feature permitted hands-free driving, despite these systems requiring drivers to maintain contact with the steering wheel at all times.

The debate surrounding how to describe technology enabling vehicles to operate without human control has persisted for years. Terms such as autonomous, automated driving, driverless and self-driving have been used interchangeably for a decade, with some terms gaining and losing prominence over time. Fully autonomous driving is a more recent addition to the vocabulary of AV technology. Notably, Waymo itself uses both “autonomous” and “fully autonomous” in its blog post announcing the change.

“Self-driving” has been the preferred term for companies focused on developing and commercializing autonomous vehicle technology. Argo AI, Aurora, Cruise, Motional, Nuro and Voyage—other prominent companies in the sector—currently use “self-driving” on their websites to describe their work. Zoox is a notable exception, utilizing the term “autonomous ride-hailing.”

Other companies, like Argo AI, are pursuing alternative strategies, prioritizing storytelling and conversational learning. Argo AI, backed by Ford and VW, launched a podcast in November 2019 and has since released approximately three dozen episodes. The company has expanded this effort with the introduction of Ground Truth, which Argo describes as a “storytelling platform that offers an inside perspective on the development of autonomous driving technology.”

“Given the abundance of hype and speculation surrounding self-driving cars, there is a need for a platform where individuals can gain a realistic understanding of this groundbreaking technology and its potential future impact,” said Bryan Salesky, co-founder and CEO of Argo AI, in a statement regarding the new platform. “Ground Truth will serve as a resource for stories not only about the technology itself, but also about the individuals involved, the cities where it will be deployed, and the businesses it can facilitate.”