Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving car division, has been granted permission by California regulators to expand its robotaxi service on highways in several Bay Area cities and large parts of Los Angeles. This decision marks a significant expansion for Waymo, which has been offering its robotaxi service in San Francisco and Phoenix for months. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) ruling allows Waymo to deploy its autonomous vehicles on local roads and freeways at speeds up to 65 mph.
Despite the approval, Waymo plans to take a careful and incremental approach to expansion and currently has no immediate plans to introduce its robotaxi service on highways. The company is currently testing its cars on California freeways with a safety driver behind the wheel, while in Phoenix, the tests are conducted without a human driver on highways. Waymo does not currently transport passengers on highways.
The decision by the CPUC faced opposition from local officials, particularly in San Mateo and Los Angeles counties, who raised concerns about the impact of driverless cars on city streets. In a letter to the state commission, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed worries about the adverse impacts of the expansion in a city that spans 500 square miles and contains 7,500 miles of roadways. However, despite the opposition, Waymo received support from various groups in California, including the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Bicycle Coalition.
The CPUC defended its decision by stating that Waymo has complied with the requirements and may expand immediately. The commission regulates the technology for the state. The California Bicycle Coalition sees autonomous driving technology as an opportunity to improve roadways by eliminating human error and ensuring compliance with traffic rules.
While Waymo’s expansion has been approved, concerns about driverless cars are likely to persist in California. Several incidents last month raised safety concerns among public officials. For example, a Waymo vehicle collided with a closing gate while exiting the University of Southern California’s campus, and another car collided with a cyclist in San Francisco. Waymo also announced a voluntary recall of its software following an incident involving a pickup truck in Phoenix. Fortunately, none of these incidents resulted in major injuries.
Julia Ilina, a Waymo spokesperson, expressed the company’s gratitude to the CPUC for the vote of confidence in their operations. Waymo has received support from riders and community partners, with over 15,000 rides provided in Los Angeles so far. The company looks forward to bringing the benefits of fully autonomous ride-hailing to more people.
In conclusion, Waymo has been granted permission to expand its robotaxi service on California highways, allowing the company to deploy its autonomous vehicles on local roads and freeways at speeds up to 65 mph. Despite opposition from local officials, Waymo has complied with the requirements set by the CPUC and may expand immediately. While concerns about driverless cars persist, Waymo remains committed to a careful and incremental approach to expansion while prioritizing safety.