Waymo began offering its robotaxi services to selected riders in San Francisco in August 2021 and received approval to charge for these services in September 2021. However, it needed approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in August 2022 to start the paid service. This incident comes at a time when autonomous taxi companies are under scrutiny, with Cruise having to recall its entire fleet of autonomous taxis last year after a robotaxi hit and dragged a pedestrian.
Key takeaways:
- California's Department of Motor Vehicles is investigating an incident where a driverless Waymo car collided with a cyclist, causing non-fatal injuries.
- Waymo, owned by Alphabet, reported that the car was at a stop at a four-way intersection when it moved into the intersection and collided with the cyclist who was behind a truck.
- Waymo began offering its robotaxi services in San Francisco in August 2021, and received regulatory approval to charge for these services in September 2021.
- Autonomous taxi companies are under scrutiny, with Cruise having to recall its entire fleet of autonomous taxis last year after a robotaxi ran over and dragged a pedestrian.