California Approves Use of Driverless Taxis, Waymo and Cruise Granted Authorization
California has been dominating the headlines in the United States recently, and the latest news is that regulators in the state have approved the use of driverless robot taxis. The authorization was specifically granted to companies Waymo and Cruise, allowing them to operate these autonomous vehicles 24 hours a day in San Francisco. This development is expected to benefit millions of residents in the area and is being widely hailed as a futuristic step forward.
The decision by California’s authorities paves the way for the expansion of autonomous vehicle technology. Giants such as Amazon, Google, and Apple are already investing in related programs, according to The Washington Post. The approval comes despite opposition from local authorities, who could seek a reconsideration of the permits granted to Waymo and Cruise. The decision was made by the California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates services like electricity and transportation in the state. The vote on the matter was closely contested, with two votes in favor and one against, as expected.
Waymo, belonging to Alphabet (the parent company of Google), and Cruise are the two largest companies currently testing their autonomous taxis. In San Francisco alone, more than twelve similar companies are operating self-driving vehicles. However, not everyone is happy about the presence of these driverless cars on the city streets. Multiple citizens have complained about traffic jams and accidents caused by these vehicles.
Despite the concerns, the approval of driverless taxis in California is a significant milestone in the ongoing development of autonomous vehicle technology. This move opens up new possibilities for companies and could pave the way for a widespread adoption of self-driving cars in the future.