Waymo launches paid robot taxis in Los Angeles

On Wednesday, 10 April, tech startup Waymo will begin offering paid robotaxi rides in Los Angeles. This is an expansion of the company's experiment with self-driving cars in the US.

Here's What We Know

Waymo, a division of Google, announced plans to launch the service in Los Angeles in January. After receiving the necessary approvals from authorities, the company began offering free "familiarisation" rides.

Last month, Waymo received approval to expand to a paid service, despite objections from some organisations.

The company says more than 50,000 people have already signed up to use the service, but did not specify how many users would initially be able to use it. Waymo is starting with a fleet of fewer than 50 autonomous cars, serving an area of about 163 square kilometres from Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles.

The service will operate on a similar model to taxi hailing apps like Lyft or Uber with the only difference being that there will be no human behind the wheel. Passengers follow instructions in the app and through the car's audio system, and if necessary can get help remotely from Waymo employees.

The launch of Waymo's paid robotaxis in Los Angeles, the second largest city in the US, marks an important milestone in the development of this technology. The company already provides commercial robotaxi services in San Francisco and Phoenix.

Waymo's expansion has raised concerns from some organisations, such as the Teamsters union and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, who fear the negative impact of autonomous taxis on driver performance and traffic conditions. However, proponents of autonomous cars point to their potential to improve road safety.

Go Deeper:

• Waymo launches free robotaxi test rides in Los Angeles
• Waymo has sought permission from California authorities to launch a commercial drone taxi service in Los Angeles
• Waymo's robot taxi service launches in Los Angeles

Source: NBC