Self-driving Cars Take Over San Francisco's Streets

San Francisco residents have noticed an increase in empty autonomous vehicles roaming the streets over the past few months, as companies such as Waymo and General Motors' Cruise test their autonomous technology. While the vehicles have been tested in the city since 2018, they have more recently been allowed to drive around on roads during the daytime without safety drivers. This has led to an uptick in incidents, from harmless traffic jams to accidents such as the rear-ending of a public bus. Some residents are starting to question the arrangement, particularly as driverless-vehicle companies eye a next phase: offering rides to people in more places, 24 hours a day.