Waymo, self-driving taxi, begins paid services in LA
LOS ANGELES - Waymo, the self-driving robotaxi, begins its paid services Wednesday across Los Angeles. The technology already launched in both Phoenix and San Francisco.
The tech startup is a spin-off of Google. Waymo announced plans to offer driver-less services back in January of this year, when they began offering free tour rides to Angelenos.
Now, after receiving approval from California regulators last month, the vehicles are being rolled out Wednesday. Prospective riders are able to be picked up and dropped off at their desired location through the company's app.
The company said that they will start with a local fleet of fewer than 50 cars covering a 63 square mile area, from Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles, and all the areas in between.
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The service works similarly to other ride-sharing apps, like Uber or Lyft, except Waymo's vehicles have no human driver behind the wheel. However, workers able to assist remotely if needed, the company said.
The robotaxis have faced some backlash, from those concerned with the technology's ability to take away drivers' jobs to mistakes made by the self-driving car, like blocking emergency vehicles. The LA Department of Transportation expressed concerns over the technology, saying that the expansion of these vehicles is happening too soon, without enough local oversight.
But supporters say robotaxis have a much better safety record than human drivers. Waymo said it has not reported any serious injuries with this technology.
If you're looking to take a trip in one of these vehicles, you may have to wait. The company said that there's a waiting list of over 50,000 people waiting to use the service.