Updated: Waymo Looks to Expand While Cruise is Down and Out
Updated with new information from Waymo after publication. We corrected dates for the company's Arizona operations, and Waymo noted that its expansion plans are not tied to Cruise's in any way.
General Motors’ Cruise has had a rough few months, ending with it pulling back on autonomous testing efforts across the country. Now, Alphabet’s Waymo is looking to expand, asking the California Public Utilities Commission for permission to grow its services in Los Angeles.
Waymo already has a large operational footprint in San Francisco and is testing rides in Los Angeles, but they’re only by invitation. It announced on X that it would work with local officials, including first responders and lawmakers, to get the service up and running in the city. It has offered paid commercial services in Phoenix since 2020 and offers several routes around the city, including to the airport. Waymo plans to expand to Austin, TX, at some point soon.
It's worth speculating that Cruise’s troubles might have caused a slight pause in Waymo’s expansion, as the GM-backed entity ran afoul of public sentiment and safety. But, while Cruise paused operations and shook up its executive staff, Waymo’s temporary slowdown appears to be over as it plans these expansions.
The caution with which Waymo is approaching new markets should serve as a reality check for buyers hoping to get their hands on an autonomous vehicle. Even the most advanced driver assistance systems can’t yet take the place of a human driver, and automakers’ sometimes-confusing marketing language isn’t helping.
[Image: Sundry Photography via Shutterstock]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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"...should serve as a reality check for buyers hoping to get their hands on an autonomous vehicle"
At best, this would be a niche market - bar/anti-DUI rides, people without driver's licenses, people with certain physical limitations, etc. Rental might even be more popular than owning.
No matter, the legal liability hurdles will be insurmountable because there will be no tolerance for error.
CruiseSTUPID will not be stopped. Cash burn is what EvilGM does well.