Waymo is all set to begin its fully autonomous cab services in San Francisco. The Alphabet-owned company finally got its Driverless Pilot permit from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) which allows it to pick passengers up without a driver behind the wheel.
Although the permit allows Waymo to provide rides in its autonomous vehicles, it does not allow it to charge its passengers for the same. Waymo can provide rides throughout San Francisco, Daly City, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain Views, Palo Alto, and Sunnyvale.
SF, who’s ready to ride? 🚘🤖
— Waymo (@Waymo) November 18, 2022
After receiving the driverless pilot permit from the @californiapuc, Waymo One is opening to members of the public in San Francisco. Available 24/7—without anyone in the driver’s seat: https://t.co/TenpLez0lo pic.twitter.com/DtSXXGNJpa
The autonomous car company first started testing rides in San Francisco earlier this year with employees and the company's "Trusted Tester" program members.
What's next for Waymo is getting a Driverless Deployment permit from CPUC which will allow it to charge for its autonomous services in the region. The CPUC has already issued its first-ever Driverless Deployment permit to Cruise which allows it to charge collect fairs but not offer shared rides between passengers from different parties.
Even though autonomous cab hailing services from Waymo are new to San Francisco, the company has been operating in the Phoenix metropolitan area since 2017. Last week, the company announced that it's operating fully autonomous services in Downtown Phoenix as well.
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