Military Space News
CAR TECH
Waymo robotaxi service opens to all in San Francisco
Waymo robotaxi service opens to all in San Francisco
by AFP Staff Writers
San Francisco (AFP) June 25, 2024
The Google-owned Waymo robotaxi service on Tuesday became available to anyone in San Francisco interested in hailing a driverless ride.

Waymo has been cautiously expanding its robotaxi service, access to which had thus far been available on an invitation-only basis.

"With tens of thousands of weekly trips, our Waymo One service provides safe, sustainable, and reliable transportation to locals and visitors to the city alike," it said in a blog post.

"Now it's available to anyone."

Some 300,000 people, more than a quarter of San Francisco's population, have signed up on a Waymo waiting list since it opened, according to the company. Riders will need the company's app to use the service.

Waymo One ride-hailing is now available in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, with plans to "ramp up" in Austin next.

Waymo claims its safety record is "unparalleled" over more than 20 million miles (32.2 million kilometers) logged by its autonomous cars since the first rides in the Silicon Valley city of Palo Alto in 2009.

The company cited statistics contending its driverless cars drive more safely than humans do.

The top US auto safety regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said earlier this month that it had opened an investigation into Waymo after reports of 22 incidents with its self-driving technology.

The preliminary probe into the robotaxi company by the NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation will cover the firm's 444 vehicles, according to documents posted on the agency's website.

The NHTSA said reported incidents included "collisions with stationary and semi-stationary objects such as gates and chains, collisions with parked vehicles, and instances in which the cars appeared to disobey traffic safety control devices."

The NHTSA opened a similar inquest into Amazon-owned Zoox after receiving two reports that the company's autonomously-operated Toyota Highlanders were rear-ended after they hit the brakes too quickly.

Zoox has been testing its robotaxis in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Foster City, California.

The NHTSA has also launched probes into Ford and Tesla as it investigates the wider deployment of autonomous technology.

GM subsidiary Cruise in April said it plans to get its self-driving cars back on the road after suspending robotaxi service late last year due to safety concerns in the aftermath of an accident in San Francisco.

Related Links
Car Technology at SpaceMart.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
CAR TECH
Canada eyes Chinese EV tariffs after US, EU actions
Ottawa (AFP) June 24, 2024
Canadian authorities on Monday announced plans for additional tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars and batteries, aligning with US and EU moves to stem a surge of cheaper imports from China. Canada's auto sector is "facing unfair competition from China's intentional state-directed policy of overcapacity that is undermining Canada's EV sector's ability to compete in domestic and global markets," Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told a news conference. "Chinese producers are quite intentio ... read more

CAR TECH
US to fast-track Ukraine anti-air missile deliveries

Romania to send Patriot missile system to Ukraine

Ukraine's backers struggle to provide air-defence systems

Washington to send new Patriot missile system to Ukraine: US media

CAR TECH
Ukraine missile attack on Crimea kills 2, wounds 22: Moscow-appointed governor

Russia hits Odesa as Kremlin warns US after Ukrainian strike on Crimea

Russia blames US for missile attack on Crimea

Hezbollah rains rockets on Israel after strike kills commander

CAR TECH
Drone Racing Tests AI Systems for Future Space Missions

New Cargo Drone HH-100 Completes First Flight

Russia, Ukraine exchange drone, missile attacks

Drone tests radar system for planetary landings

CAR TECH
Frontier Technology Chosen for $1B Military Satellite Software Contract

SES Space and Defense Successfully Demonstrates Multi-orbit, Multi-band LEO Relay

Iridium Secures Five-Year $94 Million Contract with Space Systems Command

EchoStar secures contract to provide 5G to US Navy and agencies

CAR TECH
U.S. strongly denies Netanyahu's claim weapons to Israel have been blocked

Chad ammo depot blaze kills nine, wounds dozens

Chad ammo depot blaze kills nine, wounds dozens

One dead, eight wounded in blast at Czech military base

CAR TECH
French tech giant Atos's top shareholder drops rescue offer

China protests EU sanctions on firms with Russian war links

Israel's Netanyahu says US arms delay row to be 'resolved in near future'

Putin warns South Korea against sending weapons to Ukraine: 'Very big mistake'

CAR TECH
Trump to Putin: what key challenges face Rutte at NATO?

Russian, US defence ministers discussed Ukraine by phone, Moscow says

US ambassador says Beijing making US-China exchanges 'impossible': WSJ

Rutte seals NATO top job after lone rival drops out

CAR TECH
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2026 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.