Autonomous taxi services granted 24/7 operations in San Francisco

Regulators in California have approved the expansion of autonomous vehicle companies, Cruise and Waymo, allowing them to offer commercial robotaxi services throughout San Francisco on a continuous basis. The decision, reached by The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) following an extensive six-hour hearing, comes despite objections from residents and city entities. Presently, Cruise and Waymo provide limited paid services in the city with human safety operators onboard.

The extended permit empowers these companies to significantly broaden their offerings, with no restrictions on the number of robotaxis they can deploy on the city's roads, according to a report by TechCrunch. CPUC Commissioner John Reynolds remarked, "Today's development is just the initial stride towards introducing autonomous vehicle transportation services to Californians."

Waymo hailed the decision as a monumental milestone for autonomous vehicles, with Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo, stating, "This permit signifies the true inauguration of our commercial operations within San Francisco." Cruise's CEO, Kyle Vogt, echoed this sentiment, describing it as a substantial achievement for the autonomous vehicle industry, emphasizing California's commitment to progress over the existing norm.

However, some critics raised concerns about compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Laura Massey, a member of San Francisco's Paratransit Coordinating Council, posed the question, "Can driverless vehicles adequately assist passengers who require support getting to and from the vehicle?" Additionally, there were worries expressed over potential discrimination against the unbanked and digitally inexperienced individuals by Waymo and Cruise.