Firms initiating robotaxi services within California will have the capability to levy charges for and provide communal, driverless transportation, provided they successfully fulfill the requirements of a newly established governmental approval procedure. Some within the industry contend that this process introduces superfluous bureaucratic steps, potentially postponing service launches by over two years.

The California Public Utilities Commission gave its approval on Thursday to two new initiatives that will permit authorized companies to deliver and bill for shared transportation utilizing autonomous vehicles.

The emerging autonomous vehicle technology sector has actively engaged with the CPUC in recent months, advocating for a regulatory modification that would authorize operators to collect fares and offer shared rides in vehicles operating without a human driver. The ruling was broadly welcomed, though accompanied by certain reservations.

“We are encouraged by the CPUC’s vote today to establish a state regulatory structure for commercially operating autonomous ride services,” stated Annabel Chang, Waymo’s California policy lead, in a written communication. “This anticipated action by the agency will enable Waymo to gradually introduce our fully autonomous Waymo One ride-hailing service to our home state. The CPUC’s decision is particularly timely as we integrate more of our latest technology in San Francisco and anticipate deploying our Waymo Driver to benefit the people of California.”

The commencement of paid rides is not immediate. Prospective robotaxi operators must first secure the necessary permissions from both the CPUC and the California Department of Motor Vehicles, alongside adhering to a series of reporting stipulations. Companies may apply to offer driverless service with or without the option for ride sharing.

Participating companies are also required to submit a comprehensive safety plan and provide the CPUC with quarterly reports containing aggregated, anonymized data regarding trip pickup and drop-off points, the availability of wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and service provision to underserved communities. Data concerning vehicle fuel type, total miles traveled, and passenger miles traveled must also be supplied.

A key concern was highlighted by Cruise in its formal feedback to the CPUC. Any company seeking to participate in the program must submit an application as a “Tier 3” advice letter. Cruise expressed the view that the Tier 3 process for obtaining a deployment permit is at odds with the state’s broader objectives related to transportation, safety, and emissions reduction.

“In its current form, the process of securing both Commission and DMV deployment permits could take longer than two years—an unacceptable timeframe given the pressing need,” Cruise noted in its submitted comments.