Autonomous taxis are gaining more attention, with GM’s subsidiary Cruise announcing the resumption of some operations and Tesla CEO Elon Musk planning a product launch in August.
Tech startup Waymo announced on Tuesday that it would begin offering paid robotaxi rides in Los Angeles starting Wednesday, as the nation’s experiment with self-driving car technology gains momentum.
Waymo, a spinoff of Google, had detailed its service plans for Los Angeles in January while seeking state regulatory approval and local support. Over the past year, Waymo has provided free “tour” rides in Los Angeles, and last month, it received regulatory approval to expand to a paid service, despite opposition from the Teamsters union and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Waymo had previewed the project in a blog post in 2022.
Waymo reported on Tuesday that more than 50,000 people were on its waitlist for the service, though it did not specify how many would be allowed to fully use the app starting Wednesday. Last month, the company indicated it was beginning with a Los Angeles fleet of fewer than 50 cars covering a 63-square-mile area from Santa Monica to downtown L.A. Los Angeles County has a population of 9.7 million people.
The service operates similarly to other ride-hailing apps like Flywheel, Lyft, and Uber, but Waymo’s vehicles are entirely driverless. Riders follow instructions on the app and through the vehicle’s sound system, though Waymo employees can provide remote assistance.
Robotaxis are generating more interest as the technology progresses. Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Friday that Tesla would unveil a robotaxi product in August, though details were not provided. Cruise, a General Motors subsidiary that paused its robotaxi service last year after one of its vehicles failed to detect a pedestrian, said on Tuesday that it would reintroduce human-driven vehicles in select cities, including Phoenix, as a step toward resuming driverless operations.
Various China-based tech startups are also testing self-driving cars on California roads, attracting scrutiny from lawmakers.
For now, Waymo’s only competition comes from traditional human-driven car services.
Waymo’s expansion to Los Angeles will bring autonomous commercial taxis to the nation’s second-largest city, which is famously car-centric. Waymo already operates commercial robotaxi services in San Francisco and Phoenix.
Chris Ludwick, Waymo’s product management director, described the move to Los Angeles as a significant milestone.
“The response from Angelenos has been outstanding, and we look forward to welcoming more riders to our service over time,” he stated.
Waymo mentioned that it notified its test riders about the change on Monday via email, which was also shared on Reddit.
Robotaxis have faced criticism on multiple fronts, including the potential threat to drivers’ jobs and the errors they have made, such as blocking city buses or emergency vehicles. Under California law, driverless cars cannot receive traffic tickets, and they may exacerbate traffic congestion.
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation argued that Waymo’s expansion was premature, citing insufficient local oversight of autonomous vehicle operations. However, state officials dismissed these concerns in an order last month.
Proponents of robotaxis argue that human drivers have a poor safety record, with over 40,000 traffic deaths annually in the U.S. Waymo has not reported any deaths or serious injuries resulting from its technology, and journalists who have ridden in Waymo vehicles report that they tend to follow traffic laws more strictly than human drivers.
In San Francisco, the presence of driverless vehicles has become a tourist attraction due to their futuristic nature.
Opponents of the expansion of autonomous taxis, including the Teamsters, have pledged to slow the growth of companies like Waymo. A bill currently pending in the California Senate would grant cities and counties authority over robotaxi services, a power that is currently held by state government agencies. A hearing on this bill is scheduled for next week.