Anyone in Los Angeles will be able to digitally hail a Waymo robotaxi starting Tuesday, but don't expect a self-driving car to hop onto the freeway.
Waymo announced it will start the Waymo One service in Los Angeles County but will limit its vehicles to the roads, where Google's parent startup, Alphabet, has been testing the sensor-laden cars for months with a limited group of passengers. The service can be accessed by the public 24 hours a day on its app.
Los Angeles officials have been skeptical, calling for more traffic safety oversight as future growth increases and unions raise concerns about job losses. But California Gov. Gavin Newsom this year blocked legislation that would have required driverless car companies to report more data about crashes.
“Now is an exciting time to welcome everyone to Los Angeles for a ride,” Tekedra Mawakana, Waymo's chief executive, said in a statement. “Our service has grown rapidly and our passengers are embracing the many benefits of fully autonomous driving.”
The company estimates that its more than 700 vehicles complete 150,000 rides each week in Phoenix, the Bay Area and Los Angeles. So far, Waymo has about 100 robotaxis riders in LA and says that number will continue to grow as the company grows. Self-driving cars have become part of the landscape in San Francisco, where the company has its largest fleet.
About 300,000 people have signed up for Waymo One's waiting list in Los Angeles since it debuted this year, Waymo spokesman Chris Bonelli said in an email.
In Los Angeles, where getting through the city can seem like a slog, traffic restrictions on freeway driving can be a hindrance, making the trip longer and more expensive.
“We know that freeways are important for efficient routing in major service areas, and we will continue to actively explore to provide freeway routes for our passengers in the future,” said Bonelli. He said autonomous freeway driving is being tested in Phoenix and San Francisco.
In Los Angeles, those tests are limited. A California Department of Motor Vehicles report said that during a May 13 inspection, Waymo on the eastbound 10 Freeway near the Bundy Drive overpass was involved in a crash. According to the report, the vehicle coming from behind changed lanes and hit Waymo from the left rear.
“Our car looks like it was driving well in its lane when it was hit, and after the collision, our technician drove the car onto the shoulder manually,” said Bonelli.
DMV records since March show 12 Waymo accidents involved, all minor except the freeway incident.
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