Robotaxis open for business in Los Angeles

Anyone in Los Angeles will be able to digitally hail a Waymo robotaxi beginning Tuesday, but don’t expect the driverless vehicle to head onto a freeway. “Our service has matured quickly and our riders are embracing the many benefits of fully autonomous driving.” The company estimates that its fleet of more than 700 vehicles completes over 150,000 rides weekly in Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Nearly 300,000 people signed up for the Waymo One wait list in Los Angeles when it debuted this year, Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli said in an email. In Los Angeles, where getting across town can seem like a cage battle, the vehicles’ limits on freeway driving could pose a hurdle, making trips longer and more costly.