Waymo’s bid to expand its robotaxi business in Los Angeles and San Mateo counties has been put on hold for 120 days by the California Public Utilities Commission’s Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division.
The suspension of the application, announced on the CPUC’s website, is a significant setback for Waymo’s plans to expand its self-driving vehicle service. While the company can still operate in San Francisco, its ability to venture into new locations has been put on hold until at least June 2024.
The CPED stated that the application has been suspended for further staff review.
Vice President of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, David J. Canepa, released a statement in response to the ruling.
“Since Waymo has not engaged in meaningful discussions regarding its expansion plans into Silicon Valley, the CPUC has intervened and paused its application to test robotaxi service without restrictions in both San Mateo and Los Angeles counties. This will give us a chance to fully address our genuine public safety concerns, which have led to dangerous situations for firefighters and police officers in neighboring San Francisco.”
TechCrunch will provide an update on this story as soon as Waymo responds to their request for comment.
At present, Waymo currently operates in all areas of San Francisco.
This story is still developing…
