Waymo Granted Approval to Expand Robotaxi Fleet in California

Waymo, the self-driving car division of Alphabet Inc., has secured regulatory backing to extend its robotaxi operations throughout more regions of the San Francisco Peninsula and southward to San Jose. The approval, granted by California authorities, was reported by Reuters but comes with a caveat: Waymo intends to expand its services methodically and does not plan an immediate escalation of its operations in the area.

"We want to bring Waymo One to more of the Bay Area, and any expansion of the service will happen methodically over time," a company spokesperson remarked, as reported by Reuters. Although no timeline has been provided, Waymo's spokesperson did indicate that there were "no imminent plans" to accelerate their presence in the Bay Area.

Currently, Waymo stands as the sole U.S. company offering commercial robotaxi services without human operators, with a fleet that surpasses 1,500 vehicles. Active in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin, Texas, Waymo's services accommodate over 250,000 rides weekly.

In a related development, the California Public Utilities Commission's approval for Waymo coincides with Tesla's impending launch of a paid robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, scheduled for next month. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed intentions to eventually introduce the service in California within the year.

Waymo's request for expansion, initially submitted in March, was met with 23 supportive responses and lacked formal opposition, according to CPUC. Reuters cites the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in noting that Waymo has been making steady progress in expanding its operations while also recalling over 1,200 self-driving vehicles for a software update aimed at minimizing collision risks with chains, gates, and road barriers. The update follows an investigation initiated last year.

Simultaneously, the NHTSA continues to examine Tesla's Full Self-Driving system after a series of collisions under low-visibility conditions. Last week, the agency requested further information from Tesla concerning its forthcoming robotaxi service to assess vehicle performance in adverse weather, according to Reuters.

Recent escalations in regulatory focus reflect growing concerns post a serious incident in 2023 involving a General Motors Cruise robotaxi. This accident in San Francisco led to the suspension of Cruise's operations, prompting increased scrutiny of autonomous vehicle technologies in the industry. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)