Waymo robotaxis approved for fared rides in LA

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Waymo can now deploy robotaxis in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. | Source: Waymo

Waymo can now operate its robotaxis in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Peninsula, and on San Francisco highways. California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Friday approved Waymo’s request to expand and now allows them to charge riders in these areas.

“Waymo may begin fared driverless passenger service operations in the specified areas of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula, effective today,” the ruling by the commission’s Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division said.

The new service area in the Bay area will stretch from San Francisco to 22 cities on the Peninsula. Waymo can also operate in a large part of LA, the country’s second most populous city, effective immediately. The CPUC’s latest approval allows Waymo to deploy its robotaxis on local roads and freeways. The vehicles can travel at speeds of up to 65 mph and Waymo has no cap on the size of its fleet.

Waymo said it will take a conservative approach to its rollout in these areas. There was no timetable set for when these new driverless services will start.

Waymo takes conservative approach to robotaxi expansion

While Waymo has had its final permit for San Francisco operations since August 2023, it has reserved its services for only those who have been approved off a waitlist. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) disengagement report, Waymo operates 438 robotaxis, for testing and commercial operations, in the state. The company told the San Francisco Chronicle that it’s commercial fleet in San Francisco numbers 250 robotaxis.

The company’s more conservative approach contrasts with Cruise, the self-driving unit of GM. Cruise and Waymo both received their final permits at the same time, but they’ve had different experiences since. Cruise has 510 robotaxis deployed throughout the state, according to the California DMV.

Months after Cruise earned its final permit, the company had its California permits revoked after California officials said Cruise withheld footage of the October 2 incident that shows Cruise’s robotaxi attempting to pull over while the pedestrian was under the vehicle.

Since then, the city of San Francisco has filed lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the organization responsible for regulating autonomous vehicles in the state, to drastically reduce the number of robotaxis on the city’s roads.

Lawmakers within the state area, including in San Mateo County and Los Angeles, are also pushing a bill that would give localities more control over robotaxi deployments. Waymo said it will take a conservative approach to its rollout in LA

Waymo’s 2024 starts with bumpy roads

In February 2024, a driverless Waymo robotaxi and a bicyclist were involved in an incident in San Francisco. The crash happened around 3 P.M., and the cyclist was able to leave the scene on their own after the crash, according to Waymo.

The company, and many other AV developers, take special care in training their systems to ensure their vehicles can safely drive alongside bicyclists. The company gave insight into their cyclist-specific training in a blog post in 2021.

Waymo says it works with cyclist groups, like the California Bicycle Coalition and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, to gather feedback on what they expect from drivers. This gives the company insights to adjust its testing and validation procedures to better provide safety for cyclists.

The company says that its sensor suite, which sees 360º around the vehicle and can identify objects up to three football fields away, helps the vehicle detect bicyclists in most situations. Waymo’s system uses all of this information and the experience it has built up over time through real-world driving and simulations, to understand what’s happening around it, and anticipate what might happen next.