Cruise and Waymo are hoping to win regulatory approval to operate driverless ride-hailing services in San Francisco around the clock, making it the first city in the US to have two fully driverless services competing against Uber, Lyft, and traditional taxis.
Cruise has already been offering driverless rides for a fee in certain parts of San Francisco since June of last year, while Waymo has been providing free rides in a wider area of the city while waiting for permission to charge passengers. However, the companies may face obstacles such as complaints about their vehicles making unexpected stops that obstruct traffic and inconvenience other drivers.
Although both Cruise and Waymo have driven over one million miles without major accidents, they have encountered problems such as blocking emergency vehicles responding to a fire or coming to a sudden stop in the middle of the road. Despite this, dozens of technology companies and automakers are pursuing self-driving car technology with the goal of profiting from robotic drivers that are safer and more cost-effective than human drivers.
If both companies are granted regulatory approval, San Francisco would become the first US city with two fully driverless ride-hailing services competing against Uber, Lyft, and traditional taxis, all of which rely on human drivers. However, both companies must overcome potential roadblocks, such as complaints about their vehicles causing unexpected stops that congest traffic and inconvenience other travelers.
Cruise has been offering driverless rides for a fee in some parts of San Francisco since last June, while Waymo has been providing free rides in a wider area of the city as it waits for clearance to charge passengers. Both companies have already covered more than one million miles without any significant accidents, although they have encountered issues such as blocking emergency vehicles that are rushing to a fire or making sudden stops in the middle of the road.
Numerous technology firms and automakers are working on self-driving car technology with the ultimate goal of profiting from robotic drivers that are safer and less expensive than human drivers. Robotaxis could also lower prices for passengers, but Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt believes that customers may be willing to pay more for rides without a stranger behind the wheel.
The race for driverless ride-hailing services is heating up, with Cruise and Waymo both seeking regulatory approval to operate 24/7 in San Francisco. If they are successful, the city will become the first in the US to have two fully autonomous ride-hailing services competing with Uber, Lyft, and traditional taxis. However, the companies must address issues such as unexpected stops that clog traffic and inconvenience other travelers.
Cruise has been charging for driverless rides in parts of San Francisco since June of last year, while Waymo has been offering free rides in a larger area as it awaits clearance to charge passengers. Despite covering more than one million miles without any significant accidents, both companies have experienced problems such as blocking emergency vehicles or making sudden stops.
Numerous technology firms and automakers are working on self-driving car technology with the goal of capitalizing on robotic drivers that are safer and cheaper than human drivers. While robotaxis could lower prices for passengers, Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt believes that customers may be willing to pay more for rides without a stranger behind the wheel.