Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving vehicle business, gained approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to operate robotaxi services in Los Angeles and San Mateo counties. Los Angeles autonomous vehicle testing for almost a year led to this authorization.

Julia Ilana, Waymo's spokesperson, outlined the company's cautious approach to expansion, emphasizing that autonomous vehicles will initially avoid highways in Los Angeles County. The company plans to start offering robotaxi services to passengers in the coming months, per KTLA.

(Photo: JASON HENRY/AFP via Getty Images) A Waymo autonomous vehicle on Steiner Street in San Francisco, on November 17, 2023.

Waymo's Operation Faces Opposition

However, not all local officials are supportive of Waymo's autonomous venture. Last November, Mayor Karen Bass voiced her opposition in a letter to the CPUC, expressing concerns about the lack of input from local jurisdictions like Los Angeles in the deployment of autonomous vehicles.

She highlighted the existing harm and disruption caused by such deployments. Mayor Bass also pointed to an incident in August 2023 when a Waymo vehicle allegedly failed to stop for a traffic officer at an intersection, though no injuries were reported.

L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn joined the dissenting voices, expressing her disapproval on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Hahn called the CPUC's ruling on Waymo a "dangerous decision," raising concerns about the untested nature of robotaxis and asserting that Angelenos should not serve as "Big Tech's guinea pigs." Hahn emphasized that cities should shape decisions of this magnitude rather than overriding their objections.

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This development comes after General Motors Co.'s Cruise autonomous driving unit was reportedly gearing up to resume robotaxi testing in Houston and Dallas to test its autonomous vehicles, per an earlier TechTimes report last month.

Cruise LLC, a subsidiary of General Motors, is reportedly in talks with regulators in various metropolitan regions, including Texas, to restart safety driving testing on public highways.

Waymo's rival is meticulously resuming public road testing to re-establish public confidence. To improve its autonomous driving technology, Cruise is fixing communication issues and training safety drivers. It was originally planned to operate in 12 locations.

As Waymo and Cruise prepare to launch their robotaxi services in the coming months, the debate surrounding the safety and local impact of autonomous vehicles remains a topic of contention among officials and residents alike.

Man Tries to Steal Waymo Car

Meanwhile, a recent incident in Los Angeles involved the arrest of a man attempting to steal a Waymo vehicle.

Vincent Maurice Jones, a 33-year-old man, entered the self-driving Jaguar sedan that Waymo owned after it had just finished a drop-off on Main Street close to 1st Street. According to NBC News, despite his unsuccessful attempts, Jones was instructed to exit the vehicle using Waymo's communication system.

Upon refusal, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) was contacted, leading to Jones' arrest on suspicion of attempted grand theft auto. Jones's legal representation in this matter remains unknown.

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