Waymo has just applied to license its driverless car services to Los Angeles streets in an attempt to further expand its business in California's populous cities.
The Alphabet-owned company announced on X (formerly Twitter) that it has sent its application to the California Public Utilities Commission to fully operate its robotaxis within the city soon.
Waymo assured that it will continue to work with policymakers, first responders, and community organizations throughout the process.
We’ve applied to the @californiapuc to extend our driverless deployment service to include LA, and we’ll continue our work w/ local policymakers, first responders & community organizations there. Angelenos, join us for a ride! https://t.co/bGP0imibM6 pic.twitter.com/KfFbCRp0V7
— Waymo (@Waymo) January 20, 2024
The company has been conducting test drives in Los Angeles for the past months for its employees and by-invitation-only services prior to the application.
Waymo has been expanding its services in South California since October last year, starting with Santa Monica.
Also Read: Waymo Driverless Cars Rolls Out on Arizona Highways
Driverless Car Services Attempt to Reach SoCal Market
Waymo and other driverless car companies have been trying to enter the ride-hailing market in southern California for months.
With a population of 12,598,000, Los Angeles has been among the country's frequent users of ridesharing services over the past years.
Despite the high demand for the service, driverless taxis have been facing difficulties in fully operating in metropolitan cities amid concerns about autonomous rides.
Waymo's competitor Cruise came under fire last year following a grisly accident last October involving two pedestrians.
Since then, activists and concerned groups have been urging the state to impose stricter regulations to monitor the driverless cars in the city.
The calls came after California excluded self-driving cars from traffic tickets.
Related Article: Uber Rolls Out Rides in Autonomous Waymo Cars
What is Next for Waymo?
Waymo has been pushing its ridesharing services via its self-driving vehicles over other operations.
The company has even pushed back the development of its autonomous trucking technology after it came under strong scrutiny from the local government.
Meanwhile, the robot taxis are being seen more in other metro cities, including in Arizona where the company is also getting regulatory approval.
The utility commission has yet to issue a statement regarding Waymo's application.
