The California Public Utilities Commission, by a 3-1 vote, has approved permits for expansion of robotaxi operation, in spite of opposition from officials in the city ...
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted 3-1 today to allow autonomous vehicle companies Waymo and Cruise’s self-driving taxi operations in San Francisco to operate 24/7 and charge fares.
Prior to the vote, Waymo and Cruise were authorized to beta-test commercial service with limits on the number of passengers, fees, and areas of operation. Now, the companies will be able to charge for rides and operate throughout the city 24/7. Both companies have argued that self-driving cars will reduce rideshare costs and save lives; in their first million driverless miles, Waymo vehicles were in only two reportable collisions, and Cruise reported 73 percent fewer collisions with “meaningful risk of injury,” than their human performance benchmark.