Waymo robotaxis is now available to all customers in San Francisco, which is an expansion of the self-driving cab service that was previously only accessible to a select group of passengers in the city.
Robotaxis Now Open to Everyone in San Francisco
The Alphabet-owned autonomous driving tech firm said in a blog post on Tuesday, June 25, that approximately 300,000 individuals had signed up for the Waymo One service since its waitlist began. Last August, after a testing period, the firm started operating for commercial passenger services.
In the announcement, Waymo stated its intention to expand its service responsibly and measuredly. To guarantee that its service aids local communities in obtaining dependable and secure transportation that positively affects mobility, the firm maintains tight relationships with local and state leaders, first responders, and individuals who champion road safety.
According to CNBC, this decision follows Waymo's 2020 citywide deployment in Phoenix. Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, are other cities where Waymo One runs on a limited capacity.
In February, the company's Waymo One fleet had over 700 vehicles, with 300 of those cars serving the San Francisco area.
Waymo said that throughout its 15-year existence, the project has driven around 2 million paid ride-hail trips and 20 million miles autonomously. As of the end of March, the business said passengers alone recorded 3.8 million miles in San Francisco.
Driverless Cars Facing Regulatory Scrutiny
In recent months, there has been considerable regulatory scrutiny in the aftermath of many mishaps using autonomous cars.
Earlier this month, Waymo recalled more than 600 of its autonomous vehicles after a May accident in Phoenix, Arizona, when one of the vehicles collided with a utility pole.
On the other hand, General Motors' Cruise autonomous car subsidiary halted all driverless operations last October after accidents prompted inquiries and the suspension of its California licenses.
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