California regulators have granted Waymo permission to expand its fleet of robotaxis into Los Angeles and cities on the peninsula south of San Francisco.
Approval of Waymo’s Expansion
The California Public Utilities Commission gave the green light to Waymo’s application for extending its self-driving taxi operations beyond San Francisco, effective immediately. Waymo, a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet Inc., has been providing this service in Phoenix since 2020.
Waymo expressed gratitude for the commission’s approval in a post on X, previously known as Twitter, highlighting it as a positive step towards the commercial deployment of their Waymo One service in LA and the SF Peninsula.
Challenges and Growth
Although Waymo’s cars have become increasingly common on the streets of San Francisco, they have faced criticism for sudden stops causing traffic delays. Nonetheless, this approval marks a significant milestone for the company’s expansion efforts.
Regulatory Concerns
The expansion plans faced opposition from officials in San Mateo County and Los Angeles who raised concerns about the lack of local control over how robotaxis operate. This debate comes in the wake of regulatory actions against a rival robotaxi service owned by General Motors, whose license was revoked following safety issues in transporting passengers within San Francisco.
As Waymo prepares to broaden its services, the spotlight remains on ensuring safety and addressing regulatory challenges posed by autonomous vehicles.
