SAN FRANCISCO: The streets of San Francisco are now being navigated by driverless cars as companies like Waymo and Cruise operate their autonomous vehicle fleets. Tourists and locals alike are witnessing this long-awaited vision of the future, with some capturing the scenes on their smartphones and others accustomed to the parade of self-driving vehicles.
Katherine Allen, a 37-year-old lawyer, is among those voluntarily testing Waymo’s robot cabs. She recalls her initial nerves when the vehicle operated without a human backup for the first time. “For the first two thirds of the trip, maybe 20 minutes or so, I was freaking out and then all of a sudden it just sort of felt normal, which is weird, because it wasn’t normal!” she said.
Waymo and General Motors-owned Cruise are the operators behind these autonomous vehicles in San Francisco. They recently received regulatory permission to operate 24/7 across the city, excluding freeways. San Francisco is now the first major city to have two fleets of fully operational driverless vehicles, a development that these companies hope will pave the way for expansion across the United States.
VIDEO: Commercial driverless vehicles are making their debut in San Francisco, where two operators received permission from a California regulator earlier this summer to operate 24/7 across the city except on freeways. pic.twitter.com/snSmbs9UNz
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) August 28, 2023
Driverless Cars’ Amazing Driving Behavior
Isaac, a local resident and stay-at-home dad, experienced his first ride with Cruise’s autonomous vehicle named “Percussion.” Despite an unexpected detour during the journey, Isaac was impressed with the vehicle’s driving behavior. “I’m actually impressed. It’s decent at braking. It’s not all psycho about slamming on the brakes and accelerating really quickly,” he noted.
Driverless cars bring a unique aspect to the road, as they prioritize cautious driving over aggressive maneuvers. Waymo tester Katherine Allen pointed out that while this caution can sometimes annoy other drivers, it eliminates the possibility of road rage from autonomous vehicles.
However, the deployment of driverless cars is not without its challenges. Recent incidents, including collisions, have raised concerns. Local authorities have requested Cruise to reduce its fleet size in San Francisco as investigations into these incidents continue.
The presence of driverless cars is a divisive topic, with opinions ranging from environmental concerns to job implications. Despite the varying perspectives, there is considerable excitement surrounding autonomous vehicles. Waymo reports having over 100,000 people on its waiting list.
