Hey San Francisco, big news! Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service is now available to all individuals. You won’t have to wait anymore – simply download the Waymo One app and you can get started. This development represents a significant advancement for Waymo and the entire self-driving car industry.Waymo’s journey in San Francisco started back in 2021, but it was a bit exclusive at first. Only preapproved riders and “trusted testers” got to try it out. Since they opened up the waitlist, about 300,000 people jumped at the chance to ride in one of these futuristic cars. Clearly, folks are excited about it.With around 300 cars in its fleet, Waymo has racked up over 3.8 million driverless miles right here in San Francisco. That’s pretty impressive! For now, they’re keeping the fleet size steady to make sure everything runs smoothly and meets demand.Electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles, equipped with advanced technology, are commonly seen zipping around our city’s busy streets. The California Public Utilities Commission recently approved Waymo to expand to Los Angeles and surrounding cities. So, their presence in California is certainly expandingCertainly, it hasn’t all been easy. Just this month, Waymo had to tweak its software after one of its cars had a run-in with a telephone pole in Phoenix. And there were a few hiccups involving a towed pickup truck. But even with these issues, Waymo says its cars are much safer than human drivers. They claim their tech is up to 3.5 times better at avoiding crashes that cause injuries and twice as good at preventing police-reported accidents in both San Francisco and Phoenix.Safety is a big deal, especially after Waymo’s main competitor, Cruise, had a pretty serious incident. One of Cruise’s cars dragged a pedestrian and then didn’t report it right away, which led to its suspension in California. It’s a reminder of the challenges and regulations these companies face.Waymo isn’t stopping here. They’re also testing autonomous rides on freeways in Phoenix and doing trials in Austin, aiming to open up there later this year. This is all part of their plan to lead the autonomous vehicle market.If you liked this story, please follow us and subscribe to our free daily newsletter.
