Autonomous ride-hailing company Waymo was reportedly one step closer to selling robotic taxi service.
On Monday, the Mountain View-based company submitted an application to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for the final permit required to begin charging for fully autonomous rides in California, according to Reuters.
If approved, Waymo could become the second in the state permitted to charge passengers for driverless rides.
Earlier this year, General Motors’ autonomous-vehicle subsidiary, Cruise, became the first to roll out robotic taxis as it began operating in San Francisco. The company said it planned to expand the driverless service to Austin and Phoenix.
Waymo has been already operating its robotic vehicles on San Francisco streets by offering ride-hailing service with a back-up driver, or “autonomous specialist” on board.
And last month, the CPUC authorized Waymo to provide free driverless passenger service, as part of a pilot program. Under the test program, the company was allowed to operate throughout San Francisco and parts of a handful of Peninsula cities, including Daly City, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Sunnyvale.
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