Despite General Motor's decision to shutter its Cruise robotaxi business earlier this month, the U.S. has never been closer to a driverless future.
Waymo's service now operates in Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles, covering more than 500 square miles of public roads.its robotaxi service to all San Franciscans, allowing them to hail rides via the Waymo One app. Opening to the general public proved to riders, and internally, that the company's fleet of AVs can work well in the traffic conditions of a complex urban environment.
Given its progress and increasing presence on U.S. streets, Waymo received plenty of social media and publicity in 2024, stirring delight and controversy.and set it on fire. The forum also dissected instances when Waymo vehicles were involved in collisions or backed up traffic.in September that she was stuck in her Waymo robotaxi when two men stopped it by standing outside of the vehicle, asking for her phone number.
At the October event, Tesla also showed off the Robovan, a low-clearance autonomous bus with an art deco design aesthetic. Bullish investors say Tesla will make good on its driverless technology promises as early as next year, but critics remain skeptical in part because of Musk's many missed deadlines on robotaxis.