Waymo Seeks Approval to Expand Driverless Service to Los Angeles

Alphabet Inc’s autonomous driving unit, Waymo, announced that it has sought approval from the California Public Utilities Commission on Friday to expand its driverless service in Los Angeles, Reuters reports. Waymo LLC, formerly known as the Google Self-Driving Car Project, is an American autonomous driving technology company headquartered in Mountain View, California. It is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc, the parent company of Google.

If granted a license, Waymo, which currently conducts extensive operations in San Francisco, will gain the green light to fully deploy its autonomous fleet in Los Angeles, California’s largest city. Presently, the company is in the testing phase, offering rides by invitation only.

Waymo said that the company would work with Los Angeles policymakers, first responders, and community organizations on the launch of its ride-hailing service, although specific details regarding the service’s launch date were not disclosed.

Waymo also recently announced plans to commence testing fully autonomous passenger cars on Phoenix, Arizona freeways, eliminating the need for a human driver in the metropolitan area. The company also has aspirations to extend its operations to Austin, Texas.