Waymo and Cruise were approved to operate their robotaxi services 24/7 in San Francisco, after a contentious public hearing in which residents voiced their support and opposition to the vehicles.
The vote by the California Public Utilities Commission allows the two companies to operate their vehicles at any hour of the day throughout the city of San Francisco.
Currently, the companies only offer limited service. The vote in favor of the companies essentially gives robotaxis full access to the peninsula and its residents. They are now able to operate similarly to Uber or Lyft — travel anywhere in the city, at any time of day, and charge money for the rides.
The six-and-a-half hour hearing featured a variety of voices, many of them from...