of the alphabet Waymo’s robotaxi unit has won approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to expand its service to Los Angeles and parts of the Bay Area, according to a notice posted on the regulator’s website on Friday.
“Waymo may begin operating driverless passenger services in select areas of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula starting today,” the release said.
middle of February, waymo has filed a voluntary recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, saying it will fix the software problem. The recall follows two previously undisclosed incidents in Phoenix on Dec. 11 in which unmanned Waymo vehicles collided with the same towed pickup truck within minutes of each other.
The crash added to existing concerns about the use of self-driving cars in California. Competing taxi and transportation providers and labor activists are worried about job losses for drivers, while safety advocates have written to regulators and politicians to stop Waymo from expanding in the state. requested that it be prevented.
In February, the CPUC suspended Waymo’s expansion efforts for up to 120 days to allow for additional review time.
In a letter Friday, regulators said the new He said he would approve the proposal. By California Department of Transportation.
“We are grateful to the CPUC for this vote of confidence in our business, which paves the way for us to expand our commercial Waymo One service to Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula,” a Waymo spokesperson said in a statement. said.
Waymo’s progress in California continues general motorsown cruise and apple Elon Musk has exited the self-driving car business in California. tesla Self-driving cars that can safely drive without the control of a human driver have not yet been developed.
California regulators warned that self-driving vehicles should be allowed to drive in October after a series of accidents in which robot taxis overturned pedestrians, were first hit by human-driven cars, and were then pulled about 20 feet forward by the car. Cruise robotaxi operations have been suspended. cruise vehicle.
Waymo’s new approval will allow its robotaxis to operate near Tesla’s Palo Alto Engineering headquarters in San Mateo County.
The latest notice applies to the commercial ride-sharing service Waymo One. The company has been deploying test vehicles in these areas for several years.
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