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Waymo might be the largest commercial robotaxi operator — offering 250,000 paid rides per week — but it is hardly smooth.
The past seven days in Waymo’s world illustrates just how dynamic the burgeoning robotaxi business can be. The company limited service nationwide on June 13 ahead of scheduled “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump and his policies.
Days later, Waymo announced it was expanding its robotaxi service area by another 80 square miles in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Silicon Valley.
And now Waymo is eyeing the biggest city in the United States: New York City. One note on NYC: This will be a marathon for Waymo. The company is applying for a permit to test its autonomous vehicles in the city, but even if it gets approved, it won’t mean driverless testing. A truly driverless (no human behind the wheel) vehicle will require a change in state law. Expect lobbying activity to ramp up in the state.
Let’s get into the rest of the news.
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Image Credits:Bryce Durbin
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