San Francisco is opposing Waymo and Cruise's robotaxi development, despite California regulators' clearance.
Last week, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) authorized Waymo and Cruise to expand their city-based autonomous ride-hailing businesses. To stop their ambitions to provide robotaxi rides for a fare throughout the city continuously, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu has submitted complaints to the CPUC, per TechCrunch.
More Harm Than Benefit
The San Francisco Chronicle was the first publication to note on Wednesday that municipal Attorney Chiu's actions were motivated by complaints made by citizens and municipal departments. Numerous locals expressed concerns about the safety of existing robotaxi operations at a protracted CPUC hearing last Thursday, notably their interactions with bicycles, human drivers, and emergency responders on the highways.
Following the CPUC's certification, there have been instances when autonomous vehicles have obstructed traffic or even driven onto wet concrete. Cruise and Waymo have not yet issued official statements in response to the city attorney's motions as of the present reporting.
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The potential harm that the spread of driverless autonomous vehicle (AV) operations might do to San Francisco is highlighted in Chiu's letter to the CPUC. He contends that these effects exceed any possible delays in Cruise's commercial deployment. In addition, the letter claims that in approving the robotaxi expansions, the CPUC violated the California Environmental Quality Act.
With a 3-1 vote in favor of the ruling, the CPUC now permits Cruise and Waymo to provide autonomous journeys to paying clients around the clock, per CBC. Before this, the robotaxi companies could only offer driverless service without a safety driver at certain times and in a small portion of the city. The action was intended to improve industry stakeholder coordination and road safety.
Rampant Sex in Robotaxis Reported
One related story suggests that surprising actions may result from the ease of autonomous cars. According to a report from Fox News, more sexual behaviors occur in robotaxis because passengers prefer their privacy when the driver is not around. This unexpected occurrence gives the continuing talks about the use of autonomous technology in everyday life an exciting new angle.
San Francisco's opposition to robotaxi services exemplifies the rising worries about the quickly spreading use of autonomous cars and their effects on urban environments. As this discussion progresses, the future of automated ride-hailing in San Francisco is in doubt.
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