A Waymo pilot-only robotaxi is seen during a test drive in San Francisco, California, United States, December 9, 2022.
Paresh Dave | Reuters
Waymo robo-taxis are now open to all users in San Francisco, expanding the autonomous ride-hailing service available in the city for a limited number of passengers.
In a blog post published Tuesday, Waymo said nearly 300,000 people have signed up for the service, called Waymo One, since the Alphabet-owned company opened its waiting list. The company began commercial passenger operations in August after a period of testing.
“We are committed to growing our service incrementally and responsibly,” Waymo said in the post. “We work closely with city and state officials, first responders and road safety advocates to ensure our service helps local communities access reliable, safe and environmentally friendly transportation and makes an impact positive on mobility. »
This is Waymo’s second citywide deployment, following Phoenix in 2020. Waymo One also operates with limited capacity in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas. As of February, the Waymo One fleet numbered approximately 700 vehicles.
Driverless vehicles have faced public backlash in recent months following collisions and other accidents. In October, General engines Autonomous vehicle unit Cruise has suspended all of its driverless operations after crashes led to investigations and a suspension of its licenses in California.
However, Waymo has seen less controversy. The company conducts significant public affairs operations and communicates closely with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and local first responders.
In total, the 15-year-old project, which became Waymo in 2016, has driven more than 10 million autonomous miles and completed more than 1 million hail trips, Waymo said. The company said it flew 3.8 million passenger miles in San Francisco as of the end of March.
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