Waymo Launches Driverless Ride-Hailing Service in San Francisco

Waymo is officially launching Waymo One in San Francisco, the robotaxi service, which the company says offers customers dependable, sustainable, and safe transportation.

The Alphabet subsidiary has now officially launched the autonomous taxi service in three cities, including Phoenix and Los Angeles. Initial tests for the service have also started in Atlanta. Waymo One is a service that Waymo has been gradually rolling out; until now, it was exclusively accessible by invitation.

According to the company, over a fourth of San Francisco's population, roughly 300,000 people, has registered for Waymo since it started. For the service to work, riders must have the corporate app.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved the Waymo One pilot program in Los Angeles and selected surrounding San Francisco cities in March.

Waymo One Investigations

The introduction of Waymo in San Francisco coincides with ongoing regulatory investigations into the safety of robotaxi services. In May of this year, Waymo's self-driving cars sparked an investigation by US authorities after the company revealed traffic infractions.

A government investigation into Waymo's autonomous car software resulted from the robotaxis' involvement in 22 incidents, including car collisions, driving in the wrong lane, and entering construction zones.

Cones and other "traffic safety control devices" are among the items that the NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) tests the software's capacity to recognize and avoid. This is known as a "preliminary evaluation," which takes the ODI eight months to complete.

Recognizing the NHTSA's crucial role in advancing traffic safety, Waymo said, at the time, that they would keep collaborating with law enforcement. Months after Waymo's first autonomous software recall, the investigation got underway. Two cars colliding with a towed pickup truck in Phoenix, Arizona, brought this recall.

A viral video shows how Waymo's robotaxis have had trouble on building sites. ODI claims that a Waymo robotaxi in Phoenix suffered underbody damage in October after veering off a paved road and into a construction zone.

The study also details other incidents, such as Waymo's driverless vehicle colliding with an SUV in San Francisco during a reroute. Another Waymo AV "pullover maneuver" in May in San Francisco resulted in the vehicle's bumper colliding with a parked car.

Waymo One Incident Causes

Small errors, like the automatic gate navigation system in the parking complex, caused several collisions. In February, a Waymo AV in Arizona backed into parking spikes, resulting in a flat tire, while other Waymo AVs crashed into gates. In November, a second Waymo AV collided with a chain of parking lots.

Although these incidents may not result in fatalities, they show the many obstacles and unanticipated situations that autonomous automobiles must face to be dependable.