Mission Local – Driverless cars won’t be ticketed in last-minute about-face for CA state bill
Mission Local reports on how robotaxis will not be ticketed for breaking the law after all, perpetuating a two tiered system for safety.
Robotaxi.news
Are robotaxis the future? Or instead, the past?
Robotaxi.news
Are robotaxis the future? Or instead, the past?
Waymo
Waymo is fortunate to have a better reputation than the rest, but their incident rate is still not acceptable…
Read MoreMission Local – Driverless cars won’t be ticketed in last-minute about-face for CA state bill
UC Davis – Half of Uber, Lyft Trips Replace More Sustainable Options
UC Davis study shows that contrary to claims by Uber and Lyft, their trips replace more sustainable options like transit and walking, half the time. And of course, robotaxis are exactly the same.
SF Chronicle – Waymo eyes S.F. robotaxi expansion, personal vehicles after first-year ‘success’
SF Chronicle reports that Waymo is starting to understand that they need to have a profitable business in order to continue.
Wired – Waymo Is Picking Up at the Airport. That’s a Big Deal
Wired reports that Waymo has not started curbside pickups and drop-offs at the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport in Arizona. And indeed, people who cannot lift their suitcases into the trunk will simply not be accommodated.
SF Standard – Parents’ hush-hush back-to-school hack: Sending their kids off in a Waymo
SF Standard reports that the reason some people like Waymo robotaxis is because they are able to have their kids ride alone, since there is no human driver to enforce the rules.
Streetsblog – Is America Ready for the Equity Impacts of the AV Revolution?
Streetsblog reports on how equity implications of autonomous vehicles has not at all been adequately addressed
Waymo likely making 100,000 empty trips per week now!
Waymo reports that they served 100k paid trips in a week. They should have also mentioned that they have about the same number of completely empty trips, clogging our roads and generating pollution.
The Verge – Waymo’s new robotaxi will feature fewer sensors to help lower costs
The Verge reports that Waymo will be using fewer sensors in the future to lower costs. The article also explains that the vehicle in question will face a 100% tariff since it is made in China.
Financial Times – How Big Tech is quietly trying to reshape how pollution is reported
Financial Times reports on how the emissions from Big Tech are growing rapidly, and how their "carbon offsets" are allowing them to hide their true emissions.
Jalopnik – Waymo Innovates New Ways To Annoy Even Non-Drivers: Constant Nighttime Honking
Jalopnik reports on how Waymo has managed to annoy people just trying to sleep - because they keep on honking at each other!
TechCrunch – Waymo to begin testing driverless robotaxis on San Francisco freeways
TechCrunch reports that Waymo is about to test their autonomous vehicles, without safety drivers, on San Francisco Bay Area freeways.
SF Standard – Waymo ride runs into high-speed sideshow, is saved by ‘grace of the Gods’
SF Standard reports that a Waymo drove into an intersection that was occupied by a driver doing donuts. The Waymo missed a collision by only one foot. Key is that Waymos still are not able to handle unexpected situations.
SF Chronicle – Yes, there are more driverless Waymos in S.F. Here’s how busy they are
SF Chronicle reports that Waymo rides have risen dramatically, from 119k in April to 204k in May. And collisions doubled as well.
NBC Bay Area – SF mayor promises accountability after school crossing guards tell NBC Bay Area driverless cars almost hit them
NBC Bay Area reports that numerous crossing guards in San Francisco have reported close calls with Waymo robotaxis. City leaders, including the mayor, vow to hold Waymo accountable.
TechCrunch – Alphabet to invest another $5B into Waymo
TechCrunch reports that Waymo is committing a new round of funding of "up to $5B" over the next few years. This is not truly news though since it is just consistent with their recent annual investments.
