Robotaxi is a massive development in the world, and San Francisco was one of the earliest cities to adopt the current self-driving cars that transport passengers on a daily basis. But recently, there have been reported problems with the robotaxi industry in the city, where it blocks off roads and cause traffic, at the same time obstructing emergency responders.
This has been an ongoing problem for the city, and officials are looking into slowing down its rollout to avoid further problems moving forward.
Robotaxi: Now Causing Problems in San Francisco
(Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Image)
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - MAY 08: Waymo self-driving vehicles are displayed at the Google I/O 2018 Conference at Shoreline Amphitheater on May 8, 2018 in Mountain View, California. Google's two day developer conference runs through Wednesday May 9.
The San Francisco County Transportation Authority has written two letters to the California Public Utilities Commission, which aim to address the problems robotaxis now causes in the Golden City. According to their letters, they wish to address the issues present among self-driving cars in the area, particularly the ones used for ride-hailing services.
One of the main reasons they pointed out here is when robotaxis malfunction and block traffic on the roads, being a cause of buildups and delays.
Another problem it causes is when it also obstructs the way for emergency responders via 911 calls, blocking important calls that request for these personnel.
Read Also: Cruise's Driverless Robotaxi Service is Now Available 24/7
SF Officials to Slow Down Robotaxi Approvals
The main focus of the letters now aims to impede the expansion of the robotaxis in the area. It claimed that it "is unreasonable" to continue this if there are problems like these present in the current run of the service.
For now, there seems to be a call to impede further approvals of robotaxi operations, with the two companies, Waymo and Cruise, to address the situation.
Self-Driving Cars for Robotaxi
There are two self-driving technologies present in San Francisco now, and they came from Google and General Motors and its subsidiaries that present the technology. One of the companies here is Waymo, and it is from Google's engineers, who created the self-driving tech that they may apply or retrofit for vehicles and use its autonomous features.
On the other hand, there is GM's Cruise, which is also the same as Waymo which fits its technology for most modern vehicles and delivers a new experience in Golden Gate City. These two were approved for their pilot experience in the city and welcomed both companies to deliver their ride-hailing services to all citizens, with some for 24/7 offers.
The only problem now is that there are significant problems that both systems encounter, and it impedes the daily lives of the people living or visiting the area. For now, the only solution taken by the city is to slow down the expansion that these companies have planned by adding more robotaxis, and may need them to fix their systems before its continuation.
Related Article: US Safety Regulators Conduct Investigation on Cruise Robotaxi Braking and Clogging Reports
