Get ready to safely merge, Angelenos. The robotaxi service called Waymo has announced a major new expansion in the L.A. area. Waymo’s cars are taking on the looming challenge of L.A.’s freeways.
Cruisin’ on the Freeway
The self-operating taxis have been operating in L.A. for more than a year now and have logged more than 1.9 million miles driving around Los Angeles. And now, they’re heading for the freeways!
Waymo is testing its fleet of robotaxis on the Los Angeles freeway system including Interstates 10, 110, 405, and 90. They are “beginning to provide our employees with access to fully autonomous rides on LA freeways—a key step toward expanding this capability to all riders.” Waymo is first inviting employees to access driverless vehicles on L.A. freeways, and then it will eventually open it up to the public.
Driving Across L.A.
The self-driving cars have served a large range of 79 square miles across the city for the past year. Waymo’s map shows that the majority of the Westside is still in its coverage area. And the map then extended farther east to Downtown L.A., farther north to Hollywood, farther south to Playa Vista.
“We do take a thoughtful and skilled approach when we think about one, entering the territory, and then two, expanding the territory,” Waymo LA Operations Lead Carl Winnicki said. “So when we initially came into the Los Angeles market, we did start in a segment of Santa Monica to one, validate our assumptions, and then slowly grow our autonomous service.”
Demand Has Grown
After successful testing in Santa Monica, the demand for the autonomous vehicles tripled. The initial waitlist in Los Angeles originally totaled about 50,000. But due to what Winnicki called “a lot of excitement,” the waistlist then increased to above 150,000. However, Waymo has assured potential customers that they do not intend to “saturate the market.”
Fully Autonomous Rides
All eyes were on Los Angeles last year to see how the new proposed driverless taxi system turned out. California state regulators have decided to allow the Alphabet-owned robotaxi service called Waymo One to operate in California. The Alphabet company is owned by their parent company, Google. They began in Los Angeles with the possibility of eventually extending services across California.
Testing Concerns
Since Los Angeles is the second biggest city in the United States, transportation departments from around the country will be closely watching this latest test. The driverless car service has been tested in San Francisco to mixed public opinion. While these driverless cars have become a common sight in the Bay Area, many have expressed frustrations with the issues still being sorted out, such as cars coming to a sudden stop and creating traffic jams. These safety concerns have some local residents and even L.A. County officials speaking out about the new expansion.
Positive Possibilities
However, there are many who embrace the new robotaxi service saying that it will help increase transportation options in a city that can be notoriously difficult to navigate. Several disability advocacy groups have rightly pointed out that the new service can help open up even more possibilities for freedom of movement for those that need more support and aid when it comes to transportation. The new service could help many live a more independent life. While a start time for the new system has not yet been announced, it’s likely it could start in a few months’ time.
Read more about the new robotaxi service on Waymo’s website here.