Self-driving taxis were approved for the first time in San Francisco on Thursday. The robot taxis from the companies Waymo and Cruise may drive paying passengers around the city in the future – despite concerns and protests from critics.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the regulatory body for public utilities in the US state of California, on Thursday granted permission to carry passengers without drivers 24 hours a day. The expensive autonomous taxis must be in constant use to remain profitable.
Critics complain of software flaws that can lead to blockages of road and rescue services. But the technology also has the potential to reduce accidents and make traffic flow more smoothly, proponents say. They see an advantage in the higher level of safety because, unlike humans, computers at the wheel cannot be distracted.
Municipal carriers are against
With its decision on Friday evening, the CPUC overcame resistance from the municipal transport company and some residents who protested in front of the government’s headquarters (pictured below). The CPUC will probably hold a hearing in the autumn, during which an initial interim assessment will be drawn up.
Waymo is a sister company of Google, Cruise is owned by car giant General Motors. Both companies have been testing self-driving cars in San Francisco for years. Currently, some of their vehicles are already on the road without a human at the wheel. So far, only Cruise has been allowed to accept money from passengers – and only at night.
With the extended permit, after an investment of billions, it is now possible for the first time to test on a large scale how well a business model with self-driving cars works. Cruise boss Kyle Vogt recently admitted that San Francisco certainly has more than 10,000 people offering chauffeur services. “Of course these drivers don’t work 20 hours a day like a robotaxi can,” he noted. He sees potential for several thousand autonomous taxis in major cities.
San Francisco as the perfect testing ground
Cruise sees San Francisco as the perfect testing ground for training robotic car software. “If we can get self-driving cars to run in a city like San Francisco with its fog, hills, and traffic, they’ll work just about anywhere,” Vogt recently noted.
Technology costs must be reduced
The CPUC’s decision opens the door to the commercial use of new robotaxis without steering wheels and pedals. Now Cruise and Waymo are using electric vehicles converted to self-driving cars, but they are preparing passenger-only cars. Zoox, which is now owned by Amazon, also wants to put such vehicles on the road.
The cost of the technology should also come down. Cruise and GM are currently developing a tech platform for future robot taxis that will be 75 percent cheaper, Vogt said in July. This should be introduced by the end of next year. Then the “magic threshold” of less than a dollar per mile in cost comes into view, after which it will be cheaper for most people to drive a robotaxi than to own a car.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
