- California regulators approve Waymo, Cruise to operate robotaxi services in San Francisco.
- Advancements in robot car regulation by Waymo, Cruise.
- Cruise and Waymo face competition with local Uber and Lyft due to social media mishaps.
Californian regulators have approved Waymo and Cruise to operate paid robotaxi services using unmanned self-driving vehicles in San Francisco, despite opposition from city transportation, safety agencies, and residents.
By a vote of 3 to 1, the businesses are given the green light to launch citywide, for-hire taxi services at all times. Both Waymo and Cruise have been offering limited-time and -area experimental services.
Robotaxi expansion
This action represents a significant advance in the regulation of robot cars, which Waymo, Cruise, and other companies have been steadily introducing in states and cities across the country.
San Francisco is significant as the largest test facility for experimental cars and a symbol of the IT industry. The businesses contend that to perfect the technology, it must be tested in actual urban settings.
Due to cases of snarling of fire trucks, police action, and unpredictable driving, San Francisco’s fire department, planning commission, transit agencies, and others urged the commission for a slower deployment of autonomous cars.
Although they haven’t resulted in a life-threatening accident or a fatality, Waymo and Cruise have sought permission to increase their taxi service.
When it comes to providing trips requested through an app, Cruise and Waymo will suddenly be in direct competition with local businesses like Uber and Lyft. San Franciscans regularly post videos of their driving mishaps on social media in the vehicles, which include self-turning steering wheels and empty driver seats.
The concept has created a rift in San Francisco between people who object to their city being used as a testing ground for unproven technology and those who think the city, which serves as the symbolic capital of technology, should take the lead in creating innovations that can reduce the number of accidents and injuries that result from traffic.
