Waymo’s Plans for Expansion Halted by California Regulators

A Waymo driverless car in San Francisco on Feb. 20, 2024. Steve Jennings/Getty Images

The driverless vehicle company Waymo’s application last month to expand in areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco was put on hold on Feb. 21 by state regulators.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) suspended Waymo’s request to expand, in what’s known as an advice letter, until June 19 for further review amid pushback from officials in San Mateo and Los Angeles counties.

Waymo’s existing permit to operate its robotaxi service in San Francisco isn’t affected by the decision, a spokesperson confirmed with The Epoch Times.

Following news of the suspension, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors Vice President David Canepa said in a statement that the company has had limited discussion with county officials about its expansion plans.

“Since Waymo has stalled any meaningful discussions on its expansion plans into Silicon Valley, the CPUC has put the brakes on its application to test robotaxi service virtually unfettered both in San Mateo and Los Angeles counties,” Mr. Canepa said.

He said the agency’s decision will allow county officials to address their questions about public safety.

“This will provide the opportunity to fully engage the autonomous vehicle maker on our very real public safety concerns that have caused all kinds of dangerous situations for firefighters and police in neighboring San Francisco,” he said.

A Waymo driverless taxi stops on a street in San Francisco for several minutes because the back door wasn't completely shut, while traffic backs up behind it, on Feb. 15, 2023. Terry Chea/AP Photo

County spokesperson Michelle Durand told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that county officials are pleased their concerns were heard by the CPUC.

“The County is not anti-technology but the safety of our residents comes first,” she said.

Waymo provides rides to thousands of people each day in self-driving vehicles, the Mountain View, California-based company said in its Jan. 19 letter, noting that the firm already has provided more than 1 million driverless rides in California and Arizona.

The subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet operates in San Francisco at all hours of the day, from Lands End to Bernal Heights, according to its website. It also began offering free rides for a limited time in portions of Los Angeles County including Santa Monica, Century City, West Hollywood, and downtown Los Angeles. Angelenos can join the waitlist for a free ride by visiting the company’s website or attending a pop-up event.

The company received approval from the Department of Motor Vehicles—which also regulates the deployment and testing of driverless vehicles—in January to deploy vehicles in the San Francisco Peninsula, as well as additional areas in central Los Angeles.

Officials in Northern California weren’t alone in their unease about the company’s plans. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in November 2023 sent a letter to the president of the CPUC, Alice Reynolds, citing “serious concerns” she had with the expansion.

Ms. Bass said the deployment of autonomous vehicles requires local input and collaborative efforts between state agencies, cities, and the industry to “set clear regulations,” which would in turn maximize benefits from the new technology while ensuring public safety.

A Waymo rider-only robotaxi during a test ride in San Francisco on Dec. 9, 2022. Paresh Dave/Reuters

So far, Los Angeles has been mostly in the dark when it comes to the expansion plan, she said in the letter at the time.

“To date, local jurisdictions like Los Angeles have had little to no input in AV deployment and are already seeing significant harm and disruption,” she said.

The San Mateo County Attorney’s Office, the San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the city of South San Francisco, and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority additionally sent letters to the CPUC opposing the company’s most recent expansion, according to letters posted on the commission’s website.

In a board of supervisors meeting earlier this month, San Mateo County officials approved a resolution in support of Senate Bill 915, which would give local governments authority to decide whether driverless cars could be deployed within their jurisdictions.

On Feb. 10, one of Waymo’s driverless vehicles was attacked by a mob and destroyed in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco, with fireworks lit inside and graffiti tagged on the vehicle, before the vehicle caught fire.