Waymo Robotaxi Service Approved For California Expansion

Waymo is getting ready to expand its self-driving efforts across the San Francisco and Los Angeles regions, following approval from the California Public Utilities Commission.

The state commission will expand its driverless operations across these major Californian cities despite backlash from local residents. The Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division of CPUC «approves Waymo's updated Passenger Safety Plan and authorizes expansion of Waymo's Driverless Deployment service to the areas of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula it has requested. Waymo may begin fared driverless passenger service operations in the specified areas of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula, effective today,» reads the approval letter.

Alphabet-owned Waymo is yet to announce the update. CarBuzz has contacted the self-driving company to find out how it plans to expand its fleet and how this will affect future operations.

The City of San Francisco previously sued California regulators to prevent this from happening, with a city attorney originally aiming for the CPUC to put a pause on deciding for Golden State regulators to investigate self-driving safety issues thoroughly. The CPUC did postpone its decision last week, but Waymo has ultimately received the desired outcome.

Other groups that protested the outcome included the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, which argued that «unimpeded service expansion without local consultation, collaboration, and oversight» would harm autonomous vehicle technology and Los Angeles. «Any expansion of AV deployment is premature until Senate Bill 915, which would expand local control over AVs, is settled.»

This approval comes following a shift in the self-driving sphere. In recent months, public opinion of robotaxis has taken a dive.

Waymo's arch-rival, Cruise, has suspended all operations following a slew of problems, resulting in the resignation of CEO Kyle Vogt. Previous issues included a serious pedestrian-related collision where a Cruise autonomous vehicle dragged a pedestrian who had been thrown in the robotaxi's path by another car. While the Cruise-owned Chevy Bolt EV didn't strike the pedestrian first, it dragged the