This month the robotaxi service called Waymo has announced a major new expansion in the L.A. area. The self-driving cars now have a larger range of 79 square miles across the city. Waymo’s newly released map shows that the majority of the Westside is still in its coverage area. And now the map extends 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 has tripled in recent months. The initial waitlist in Los Angeles originally totaled about 50,000. But due to what Winnicki called “a lot of excitement,” the waistlist has now 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 are on Los Angeles to see how the new proposed driverless taxi system turns 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’ll begin 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.