California regulators have postponed Alphabet's application until June 19th. Waymo has opened a new tab to expand its robo-taxi service to parts of the Los Angeles area and the San Francisco Peninsula amid growing safety concerns about self-driving cars. A notice on the California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC) website Wednesday said 4,444 applications were "held for further review by staff." It is unclear when this notice was published.
"The 'suspension' of recommendations is part of the CPUC's standard and robust review process procedures," Waymo said in an emailed response to Reuters.
Applications that are not approved within 30 days of initial review will be suspended for up to 120 days in accordance with CPUC regulations. If this suspension is not approved, it may be extended for an additional 180 days. You can also refuse or withdraw.
Waymo, which currently operates in San Francisco and Phoenix, applied to expand its unmanned service on January 19 and said it would work with policymakers, first responders and community groups.
The suspension comes amid growing public hostility towards robotaxis following accidents involving Waymo and rival General Motors (GM.N) Opens in new tab 'Cruise'.Earlier this month, a Waymo robot taxi was attacked and set on fire after it stopped while people celebrating Lunar New Year set off fireworks in San Francisco's Chinatown. This was followed by another Waymo car colliding with a cyclist at an intersection in the city.
In October, a GM Cruise self-driving car struck and dragged a pedestrian 20 feet (6 meters). California subsequently revoked Mr. Cruz's driverless license.
In response to this incident, California lawmakers are calling for stronger regulation of robotaxis and self-driving trucks in the state.
Waymo said last week it was recalling its vehicles after two consecutive minor crashes in Phoenix due to a software error that could inaccurately predict the movement of a towed vehicle.
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