The expansion plan was the first indication that driverless cars could be commercially viable after billions of dollars in investments by the tech and auto industries.
“San Francisco would be a proof of concept” for the rest of the country, said Matt Wansley, a law professor at Cardozo School of Law in New York.
Darcie Houck, a commissioner who voted for the expansion, said the companies had met requirements that the state set out.
Cruise operates 300 vehicles in San Francisco during the night and 100 during the day, while Waymo operates 250 throughout the day.
Waymo said its driverless fleet would “align” with rider demands, while Cruise said it would focus on expanding the market to new parts of the city, since it had offered paid rides only in northwest San Francisco.
Persons:
Matt Wansley, Darcie, Waymo, Cruise
Organizations:
Cardozo School of Law, Cruise
Locations:
San Francisco, New York