Tag

Waymo

All articles tagged with #waymo

technology17 hours ago•12 min saved

Robotaxis multiply, regulators scramble to set the rules

Robotaxis are expanding across U.S. cities, but a patchwork of state and local rules, union opposition, and safety concerns are shaping how quickly fleets grow. While companies like Waymo, Zoox, and Tesla push for clearer federal and local oversight and funding for transit and worker retraining, regulators are weighing testing requirements, first-responder coordination, and vehicle-safety standards, all amid worries about jobs, urban mobility, and the pace of deployment.

via The Verge|

#autonomous-vehicles #regulation #robotaxis

technology9 days ago•4 min saved

Waymo widens California robotaxi rollout as GM pushes hands-free driving

Waymo wins approval to expand robotaxi service across 18 California counties with full-speed, all-weather operation for most residents, signaling a major scale-up as GM tests hands-off driving in its Cadillac EVs and pushes a unified charging experience via GM Energy; the episode also highlights Gemini AI and a new UI in the Ojai robotaxi.

via Electrek|

#autonomous-vehicles #california #gm

technology9 days ago•4 min saved

Waymo Robotaxis Grab a Bigger Slice of Rides, Quietly Reshaping Driver Labor

Waymo’s robotaxis accounted for about 15% of gross ride bookings in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and 16% in Phoenix in June, per Yipit, with shares remaining in the mid-teens as the service expands. The impact on human drivers is likely to show up first in utilization metrics (more idle time, longer waits, fewer trips per hour) rather than outright layoffs, since drivers are flexible independent workers. Measuring displacement is difficult due to data gaps and the gig-economy structure; industry voices suggest a gradual shift toward a hybrid future as AVs scale.

via Business Insider|

#gig-economy #labor-market #ride-hailing

business10 days ago•4 min saved

Waymo wins green light to scale its California robotaxi network

California regulators approved Waymo to expand its robotaxi service to 18 counties, broadening the LA and Bay Area coverage to include San Diego, Sacramento, and more. The rollout will be gradual, with rider-only service planned for San Diego later this summer and deployment using its newer, cheaper Ojai vehicle across northern and southern California. Waymo cites extensive autonomous miles and improved safety, despite ongoing public attention to incidents.

via Los Angeles Times|

#business #california #cpuc

technology10 days ago•2 min saved

Waymo Expands Robotaxi Footprint to Sacramento and San Diego

California regulators approved Waymo's plan to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service to Sacramento and San Diego, with gradual expansion across the SF Bay Area and Los Angeles and deployment in 18 counties using Jaguar I-Pace and Zeekr Ojai robotaxis under Waymo's safety framework.

via Engadget|

#autonomous-vehicles #california #cpuc

technology29 days ago•4 min saved

IIHS Finds Waymo Safer Than Humans—With Notable Data Caveats

The IIHS study reports Waymo driverless taxis had a substantially lower crash involvement rate than human drivers overall (68% lower, with city variations) based on cleaned data from 2021–2024. However, the dataset is very small and selectively cleaned—only 89 Waymo crashes with automation out of 736 incidents, and mileage data is available only for Waymo—raising questions about statistical significance and underscoring the need for better data collection on L4 vehicles.

via Jalopnik|

#autonomous-vehicles #crash-data #iihs

california29 days ago•3 min saved

Waymo-involved crash near downtown L.A. injures multiple

A two-vehicle crash near Venice Boulevard and Toberman Street in the Pico-Union area of Los Angeles left several injured, with at least two hospitalized and others treated at the scene. The incident began as an auto-pedestrian collision; Waymo says its vehicle was not at fault after a blue sedan struck a pedestrian outside a crosswalk, then swerved into oncoming traffic and hit the self-driving car. LAPD and fire officials say investigations are ongoing.

via Los Angeles Times|

#autonomous-vehicle #california #los-angeles

business1 month ago•2 min saved

Waymo-Uber End Exclusive Robotaxi Pact in Atlanta and Austin for 2028

Uber and Waymo will terminate their exclusive robotaxi agreement in Atlanta and Austin in early 2028, with Waymo launching its own app in January 2028 while hundreds of Waymo robotaxis remain on Uber through May 2028; the change lets Uber add non-Waymo autonomous vehicles, reflects Waymo's broader non-exclusive strategy, and comes as Uber’s stock slid about 4% on the news.

via CNBC|

#atlanta #austin #business

technology1 month ago•8 min saved

Waymo robo-taxis safer than humans by 68% in IIHS study, but data limits temper the finding

IIHS analyzed 2021–2024 crash data and found Waymo’s autonomous taxis had 68% fewer police-reported crashes per million miles than the average human driver (1.28 vs 4.06) over about 50 million Waymo miles, with crashes typically less severe and not primarily Waymo’s fault. However, data limitations—such as miles driven not uniformly reported, exclusion of highway miles, and small-sample effects in Austin—mean the finding should be interpreted cautiously when comparing robo-taxis to an 'average' human driver.

via Electrek|

#autonomous-vehicles #iihs #robotaxi

technology1 month ago•5 min saved

Waymo mulls cut from Uber as robotaxi tensions surge

Alphabet’s Waymo is exploring an exit from its Uber partnership amid a fierce robotaxi lobbying battle and mounting tensions over rollout strategies. Waymo plans to operate in Austin and Atlanta independently from January 2028 when contracts permit, while Uber says it will continue to offer Waymo services through May 2028. Waymo runs about 3,800 vehicles across ten cities and recently raised $16 billion at a $126 billion valuation to fund expansion, intensifying the split’s potential impact on Uber’s autonomous ambitions as both sides push for favorable regulation and control over co-operated markets amid disputes over service quality, routing, and costs.

via Financial Times|

#autonomous-vehicles #partnerships #robotaxis

local1 month ago•2 min saved

Shirtless man vandalizes Waymo in East Hollywood as traffic grinds to a halt

A shirtless man climbed onto a Waymo driverless vehicle in East Hollywood, smashed the windshield, and prompted police to arrest him for vandalism as traffic stalled at Sunset Boulevard and Edgemont Street; it’s unclear whether anyone was inside the car at the time.

via ABC7 Los Angeles|

#east-hollywood #lapd #local

technology1 month ago•8 min saved

Robotaxis Block SF Emergencies, Triggering Scrutiny

Since April 2025, San Francisco firefighters have filed at least 31 internal reports accusing Waymo and other robotaxi operators of obstructing emergency operations, causing delays and forcing responders to move stalled vehicles—including several incidents during life-threatening calls and the 2025 PG&E blackout when dozens of AVs were stranded. Regulators are examining the issue: California has laws requiring AVs to answer emergency calls quickly and to allow blocking certain areas, and SF Supervisor Connie Chan plans legislation to cite companies for obstructions. Waymo says it trains for first responders, maintains a 24/7 emergency line, and uses incident reports to improve, while noting these reports reflect the agencies’ perspective and that most AV interactions with emergency vehicles are safe; critics urge standardized reporting and faster fixes.

via The San Francisco Standard|

#autonomous-vehicles #emergency-services #regulation

technology1 month ago•10 min saved

Waymo robotaxi halts teen gel-bead drive-by, police involved

Two California teens allegedly drank alcohol and fired a gel-bead shooter from a Waymo robotaxi; the car stopped, alerted 911, and police detained them. Waymo’s rider rules ban alcohol for minors, require an accompanying adult for riders under 18, and forbid throwing objects or weapons. The incident illustrates how the robotaxi can enforce rider guidelines through its cameras and systems, with no DUI charge reported.

via Ars Technica|

#drive-by #orbeez #robotaxi

technology1 month ago•2 min saved

Waymo Expands Robotaxi Footprint to Four U.S. Cities

Waymo will begin offering fully driverless robotaxi rides in four new U.S. cities—San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, and Denver—starting with employee pilots before a broader public rollout, expanding its lead in the U.S. autonomous-vehicle market; the company plans London service later this year and had about 4,000 robotaxis in its fleet as of May.

via CNBC|

#autonomous-driving #expansion #robotaxi

technology1 month ago•4 min saved

Waymo reports teen riders to police after in-car mischief

A Waymo self-driving car in San Mateo contacted police after two 15-year-olds allegedly drank alcohol and fired toy guns inside the vehicle; officers detained the youths. Waymo says its cars have internal cameras and live support for emergencies and safety, but it does not use facial recognition. A separate incident in Santa Monica involved teens taking selfies and firing Orbeez from a Waymo, prompting police response.

via Los Angeles Times|

#autonomous-vehicles #police #safety