As reported earlier today, Waymo's futuristic concept of autonomous taxi service has morphed into a present-day reality here in San Francisco. Waymo, the self-driving technology company known for being at the forefront of autonomous driving, announced that its driverless ride-hailing service, Waymo One, is now available to all San Franciscans. This transition comes close to four years after a similar service was launched in Phoenix, Arizona, indicating a significant expansion of their market presence.
Initially launched as a research-driven test service in 2021, Waymo's ride-hail service included a safety driver onboard, ensuring an extra set of eyes were always on the road. According to Reuters, approximately 300,000 people had previously signed up on a waitlist to participate in Waymo's service in San Francisco. The waitlist has been disbanded, inviting all eager passengers to summon a ride via the Waymo app, heralding a new era of driverless transportation in the city.
Waymo's strides have not gone without its competitors noticing, as major players like GM's Cruise and Amazon's Zoox have also been accelerating their efforts to succeed in the autonomous driving space. Nevertheless, Waymo still boasts the title of pioneer, with its Mother, Google, conceiving the project in 2009 and hatching the first U.S. driverless taxi service in 2020. More recently, in March, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) granted Waymo approval to operate in Los Angeles and various neighboring cities, as reported by Reuters.
While the tech giant celebrates its scaling service, regulatory scrutiny remains high due to the growing safety concerns surrounding autonomous vehicles. Last month, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released information about nine additional incidents that raise concerns about Waymo's self-driving vehicles' performance, according to Reuters. Despite the challenges, Waymo maintains its optimistic outlook and commitment to safety, expressing excitement over this significant milestone. "We're excited to announce that Waymo One is now open to SF riders — no more waitlist or invite codes! This is a key milestone in our mission to be the world’s most trusted driver, & we're thrilled to get more of you where you’re going safely," stated Waymo on its official social media page.
