DRIVERLESS CARS
SAN FRANCISCO GRANTS FULL-TIME SELF-DRIVING PERMITS FOR WAYMO & CRUISE DESPITE OPPOSITION
The widespread adoption of self- driving cars nudged a step closer last month, after Cruise LLC and Waymo LLC were
granted
permission to operate full-time taxi services in San Francisco. On Thursday 10 August, the California Public Utilities Com- mission (CPUC) announced it had approved resolutions granting additional operating authority for the two companies to conduct commercial passenger services using driverless vehicles in the city. The approval includes the ability for both companies to charge fares for rides at any time of day, and further cements San Francisco’s position as the home city for self-driving car services. According to the CPUC, its approval comes after a decision that had been adopted in 2020. The CPUC said it had evaluated the Cruise and Waymo Advice Letters to ensure they met the licensing requirements set forth in the Decision, including passenger safety measures. Until the approval, there had been a number of limitations placed on both General Motors’ Cruise and Alphabet’s Waymo.
Their
experimental services had been limited by times and geographic areas within San Francisco.
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Cruise had only been authorised to offer a fared passenger service in limited areas from between 10pm to 6am without a safety driver present; fared passenger service at any time with a safety driver present; and non-fared passenger service at any time without a safety driver present. Meanwhile the CPUC noted that Waymo had only been authorised to offer a fared passenger service at any time with a safety driver present and non-fared passenger service at any time without a safety driver present. Waymo had also been authorised to offer a non-fared passenger service in parts of Los Angeles and in and around Mountain View, with or without a safety driver present. “While we do not yet have the data to judge autonomous vehicles (AVs) against the standard which human drivers are setting, I do believe in the potential of this technology to increase safety on the roadway,” said CPUC Commissioner John Reynolds. “Collaboration between key stakeholders in the industry and the first responder community will be vital in resolving issues as they arise in this innovative, emerging technology space,” said Reynolds. Now that both Cruise and Waymo have permission to begin a citywide paid taxi service at all hours of the day, both stated in promotional emails that they plan to deploy more cars as a result. There is said to be more than 500 autonomous vehicles already in operation. But getting to this point has been a long and contentious process.
The CPUC vote on 10 August had faced vigorous opposition against granting approval from some residents, taxi drivers and safety agencies, such as the police and fire departments . Commissioners heard more than six hours of public comment sup- porting or opposing the measure. Cab driver Matthew Sutter was one of dozens of people who protested at CPUC headquarters right before the hearing. He has been a driver for more than three decades. Sutter said he got through the pandemic and now he is fighting for his survival with the possibility of robotaxis expanding in San Francisco. “If there is no limit on robotaxis, I’m afraid we won’t be able to get through this,” said Sutter. The big concern on many minds is how safe are robotaxis in San Francisco and how many sudden stops have there been. Another concern is how many times robotaxis have
blocked
emergency vehicles. “At Waymo, we are working to ensure that vehicles stay out of the way of emergency
vehicles
whenever possible,” said Rob Patrick, a manager of Emergency Response and Outreach Waymo.
with SEPTEMBER 2023 PHTM
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