Waymo gets the green light to start offering driverless taxi service in San Jose

(KRON) — Waymo is one step closer to offering driverless taxi service in San Jose. On Monday, the autonomous taxi service got the green light from the California Public Utilities Commission to operate fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in the South Bay and nearly all of San Jose.

But while the CPUC approval is a major hurdle cleared, Waymo, which is owned by Google parent-company Alphabet, said there won’t be any near-term changes in the company’s operations.

“We’re grateful for the CPUC’s review,” said a Waymo spokesperson. “We want to bring Waymo One to more of the Bay Area, and any expansion of the service will happen methodically over time. As we grow, we’ll work with local communities, officials, and first responders every step of the way.”

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan called the CPUC approval the “final step” in allowing Waymo to offer passenger service in the South Bay city.

“It’s about time autonomous vehicles rolled into San Jose,” Mahan said. “For decades, our region has shaped the future — and now, the ride to work is as forward-thinking as the breakthroughs happening at the office.”

“We’re grateful for the support of Mayor Mahan and those in San Jose who want to make streets safer, transportation more accessible, and downtown even more successful,” said Waymo Global Head of Public Policy Michelle Peacock. “We’re looking forward to enhancing more of the Bay Area’s transportation network, and being a part of the San Jose community in the future.”

The CPUC approval follows a recent permit granted by the California Department of Motor Vehicles authorizing the company to deploy autonomous vehicles on public streets in San Jose. Under the terms of that permit, Waymo must meet stringent safety and accessibility requirements.

Currently, Waymo offers driverless taxi service in San Francisco and parts of the Peninsula. Waymo rides are also available across the Silicon Valley in parts of Mountain View, Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Sunnyvale.