NEW YORK, NY – You’ve heard about drone-delivered food and robot deliveries, but could robotaxis be the next big thing in America’s big cities? Would New Yorkers ever consider using a tax on autopilot in the city’s bustling and chaotic streets?
One city thinks it can work.
Amid strong opposition from San Francisco officials and residents, a vote is scheduled to take place on Thursday by a California state agency regarding a proposal to permit continuous deployment of self-driving taxis throughout the city.
If approved, General Motors’ Cruise and Alphabet Inc’s Waymo would be allowed to extend their testing of autonomous vehicles as paid taxis throughout San Francisco. This move would place them in direct competition with ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft.
The proposal was drafted by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which holds authority over autonomous vehicle regulation across the state. It comes after Waymo and Cruise applied for permits to broaden the testing of their self-driving taxis.
For these companies, which have invested significant funds into developing autonomous vehicles, this vote is a pivotal step towards expanded regulation as they consider entering new cities and states.
However, the impending vote is met with strong resistance from transportation and safety agencies within San Francisco. These agencies assert that the self-driving cars’ behavior, at times unpredictable, has disrupted fire officials’ operations, led to traffic congestion, and violated traffic rules. They also argue that the companies have not fully disclosed data showing instances of errors and glitches. As a result, they advocate for a more gradual introduction of this technology.
On the other hand, Cruise and Waymo contend that their self-driving taxis are safer than human drivers, having accumulated millions of miles without causing any deaths or severe injuries. They emphasize that real-world testing is crucial for perfecting the technology.
Cruise recently disclosed that it operates around 300 vehicles at night and 100 during the day, while Waymo reported approximately 250 vehicles. Both companies plan to increase these numbers if the CPUC gives the proposal the green light.
This issue has divided the city, with some residents opposing their city being utilized as a testing ground for unproven technology, while others view San Francisco, as a symbol of technological innovation, should lead the way in developing technology that could potentially reduce traffic accidents and injuries.
The CPUC has delayed the vote twice, partly due to mounting opposition. Testimonies were presented by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, stating that they had recorded nearly 600 incidents involving autonomous vehicles since the spring of 2022. They believe this is only a fraction of the total due to lax reporting requirements.
Equipped with spinning sensors, Waymo and Cruise vehicles are a distinctive sight in San Francisco. Summoned via an app similar to ride-hailing services, these vehicles provide free rides within much of the city, albeit with certain restrictions, and primarily operate at night.
Based on an original report by Reuters.