After launching pilot programs in San Francisco and Phoenix, the company says it is ready to begin deploying its autonomous vehicles on Los Angeles streets.
Alphabet-owned Waymo plans to expand its autonomous fleet to Los Angeles, reports Russ Mitchell for the Los Angeles Times. After three years of mapping the city, Waymo says the company is ready to test its robot taxi service on L.A. roads.
Waymo is conducting pilot programs with and without backup drivers in Phoenix and San Francisco. “To charge for rides, Waymo must obtain a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission. The company declined to discuss pricing plans, but in Phoenix its fares are roughly comparable to those of Uber and Lyft.” General Motors, Ford, and Hyundai are running their own autonomous taxi pilot programs in other cities.
Companies in the autonomous vehicle industry, which have spent around $75 billion on product development so far, are starting to lose stock value as regulatory approval and widespread adoption of the technology remain elusive. Petitions from Ford and General Motors to exempt autonomous vehicles from certain safety features have met with opposition from safety advocates who say the automakers are cutting corners and could endanger passengers and pedestrians.
FULL STORY: Waymo says it’s bringing robotaxis to L.A.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment
Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.
Significant Investments Needed to Protect LA County Residents From Climate Hazards
A new study estimates that LA County must invest billions of dollars before 2040 to protect residents from extreme heat, increasing precipitation, worsening wildfires, rising sea levels, and climate-induced public health threats.
Federal Rule Raises Cost for Oil and Gas Extraction on Public Lands
An update to federal regulations raises minimum bonding to limit orphaned wells and ensure cleanup costs are covered — but it still may not be enough to mitigate the damages caused by oil and gas drilling.
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