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Waymo ’s app to expand its robotaxi service of process in Los Angeles and San Mateo county has been suspended for 120 day by the California Public Utilities Commission ’s Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division ( CPED ) .
The decision does n’t alter Waymo ’s power to commercially operate driverless vehicle in San Francisco . However , it does put an abrupt halt to the company ’s aspirations to thrive where it can operate — at least until June 2024 .
The CPED saidon its websitethat the program has been suspend for further faculty review . The “ reprieve ” of an advice letter is a procedural part of the CPUC ’s received and full-bodied review process , according to Waymo .
A CPUC spokesperson told TechCrunch in an email that Waymo ’s “ Advice Letter was freeze to consider our staff critical review . Such a suspension is not an uncommon practice . ”
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors vice president David J. Canepa took a unlike stance , however .
“ Since Waymo has stall any meaningful discourse on its expansion plans into Silicon Valley , the CPUC has put the brakes on its program to essay robotaxi servicing virtually unfettered both in San Mateo and Los Angeles counties , ” Canepa said . “ This will cater the opportunity to fully engage the sovereign vehicle manufacturer on our very real public base hit worry that have caused all kind of serious situations for firefighters and police in neighboring San Francisco . ”
Waymo noted that it has reached out to two twelve government and line of work organization as part of its outreach campaign , let in officials in metropolis throughout San Mateo County such as Burlingame , Daly City and Foster City , the San Mateo County Sheriff ’s Office and local chambers of Department of Commerce .
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Waymo manoeuvre a commercial service 24 hours a day , seven day a workweek throughout San Francisco . Waymo is also allowed to give hoi polloi free driverless rides in part of Los Angeles . The caller kick offrobotaxi ride testing with employeesin Santa Monica around March 2023 and has since opened it up to some member of the populace , but is still not able to saddle for those rides .
The caller file a document in January with the Commission ’s Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division seeking review and approval of its update guard plan and an expansion of its “ operational excogitation domain of a function ( ODD ) , ” an industry term that means where its driverless vehicle can operate . Waymo is try approval to lucubrate trading operations in share of the Los Angeles area and extra region of the San Francisco Peninsula , namely in San Mateo County . That expansion is particularly important because it would admit access to the San Francisco International Airport .
