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[1/2] A Cruise self-driving car, which is owned by General Motors Corp, is seen outside the company’s headquarters in San Francisco where it does most of its testing, in California, U.S., September 26, 2018. NHTSA's preliminary evaluation covers about 594 vehicles and is the first step before the agency seek to force a recall. In December, NHTSA opened a separate safety probe into the autonomous driving system in Cruise vehicles after reports of two injuries in rear-end crashes. NHTSA said Cruise vehicles "may engage in inappropriately hard braking or become immobilized." The DMV in August said it was investigating "recent concerning incidents" involving Cruise vehicles in San Francisco and asked the company to take half its robotaxis off the roads, a request Cruise complied with.

Persons: Heather Somerville, Mary Barra, Cruise, robotaxi, David Shepardsin, Nick Carey, Abinaya, Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Jan Harvey, Nick Zieminski Organizations: General Motors Corp, REUTERS, Rights, General Motors, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, GM, Cruise, California Department of Motor Vehicles, California Public Utilities Commission, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, California, U.S, Cruise, Washington, London, Bengaluru

Most of the nation's power lines are above ground because its cheaper to do it that way. But more utilities have been burying power lines in response to bigger and more destructive natural disasters. That fire was started by lightening, not PG&E's power lines, but it is a reminder of the lasting damage that wildfires can cause. The Public Utilities Commission is considering two other plans that would include both burying power lines and using protective coverings. While burying power lines is the most effective way to prevent wildfires, it is not a quick fix.

Persons: —, “ We’re, ”, Patti Poppe, “, Gavin Newsom, Poppe, ” Poppe, Critics, Ken Cook, It’s, Matt Baker, ” Baker, we’ve, we’re, Feyla McLeod Organizations: Gas &, California Public Utilities Commission, Gov, Florida Power, Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas &, Associated Press, Environmental, Public Utilities Commission, Reform Network, Office, California, E's, PG Locations: Calif, California, Florida, Southern California, San, Sacramento, San Francisco, Poppe, Paradise, Southern, Northern California

☆ Feds probing safety of GM’s robotaxis around pedestrians
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Reuters —The US auto safety regulator has opened a probe into whether General Motors’ self-driving unit Cruise has taken sufficient precautions with its autonomous vehicles to safeguard pedestrians, it said on Tuesday. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said its Office of Defects Investigation has received two reports from Cruise of incidents in which pedestrians were injured, and has identified two further incidents via videos posted to public websites. NHTSA said the reports include Cruise autonomous vehicles “encroaching on pedestrians present in or entering roadways, including pedestrian crosswalks, in the proximity of the intended path of the vehicles”. In August the California Department of Motor Vehicles said it was investigating incidents involving Cruise in San Francisco, after a Cruise robotaxi was involved in a crash with an emergency vehicle. The California Public Utilities Commission voted in August to allow robotaxis from Cruise and Alphabet’s Waymo to operate around the clock, despite strong opposition from residents and city agencies.

Persons: Cruise, “, robotaxi Organizations: Reuters, General Motors, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, California Department of Motor Vehicles, California Public Utilities Commission Locations: San Francisco, California, Cruise

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) — The Danish wind energy company Orsted has put up a $100 million guarantee that it will build New Jersey's first offshore wind farm. But it would forfeit the guarantee money if the project is not operational by December 2025. As an example, on Thursday, New York regulators rejected a request from companies for larger subsidies to complete large-scale wind, solar and offshore wind projects, saying the expected the companies to abide by the terms of their deals with the state. “I can affirm that Ocean Wind I shall complete and operate the Ocean Wind I approximate 1,100-megawatt qualified offshore wind project,” he wrote. Orsted has federal approval for the Ocean Wind I project, and has state approval for a second New Jersey project, Ocean Wind II.

Persons: Orsted, —, Phil Murphy, Governor Murphy, ”, David Hardy, “, Wayne Parry Organizations: CITY, New Jersey's, Public Utilities, Orsted, Democratic, Boston, Twitter Locations: N.J, New Jersey, East, , New York, North America, www.twitter.com

☆ California regulator proposes $45 mln penalty for PG&E over 2021 Dixie fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A firefighter continues to hold the line of the Dixie Fire near Taylorsville, California, U.S., August 10, 2021. REUTERS/David Swanson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 10 (Reuters) - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Monday proposed a $45 million shareholder-funded penalty against Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for its connections to the destructive 2021 Dixie wildfire. The proposed penalty, pending CPUC Commissioner's approval, consists of a $2.5 million fine to the California General Fund, $2.5 million payment to tribes impacted by the fire for remediation, and $40 million for capital expenditures to transition records to electronic format. CPUC enforcement staff is recommending this penalty under an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) and Agreement, as per a release on the state regulator's website. Reporting by Anjana Anil and Swati Verma in Bengaluru; editing by Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Swanson, Anjana Anil, Swati Verma, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, California Public Utilities Commission, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, California General Fund, Thomson Locations: Taylorsville , California, U.S, California, Bengaluru

☆ Britain's Keir Starmer plots painstaking path to power
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Elizabeth Piper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

[1/2] British Labour Party leader Keir Starmer speaks during Prime Minister's Questions, at the House of Commons in London, Britain, May 24, 2023. Hours later, those from the opposition Labour party were summoned by senior members in charge of discipline and ordered to delete the posts and apologise. Welcome to Keir Starmer's Labour Party. "Thanks to Keir Starmer's leadership, voters see a changed Labour Party that is ready to change the country with a mission-driven government," a Labour spokesperson said when asked to comment for this story. 'CORBYN WITHOUT THE MADNESS'Named after the founder of the Labour Party, Keir Hardie, Starmer was brought up in a staunchly left-wing household.

Persons: Keir Starmer, Jessica Taylor, Handout, Gene Simmons, Simmons, Islam, Keir Starmer's, Jeremy Corbyn, we've, Starmer, Tony Blair, Rishi Sunak, Keir Hardie, Charlie Falconer, Claire Ainsley, Olaf Scholz, Australia's Anthony Albanese, Ainsley, Falconer, COVID, Keir, Mark Stephens, Blair, Starmer's, Andrew Cooper, David Cameron, Cooper, David Clarke Organizations: British Labour Party, REUTERS, Labour, Reuters, Keir Starmer's Labour Party, Conservatives, Conservative, Labour Party, Policy Institute, Labor Party, Public Prosecutions, Critics, Board, Police Service, Northern, Human, OF, DPP, of Human, Reigate Grammar, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Australia, Germany, U.S, Caribbean, Uganda, Reigate

☆ I moved to Dubai when Russia invaded Ukraine. The cost of living is extreme, but it's very safe and I love living here.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Jen Glantz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Despite the high cost of living, air pollution, and quality of the running water, she loves Dubai. AdvertisementAdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mary Pedler, the 29-year-old founder of a PR agency who moved to Dubai when Russia invaded Ukraine. I feel safe raising my daughter hereMary Pedler and her daughter in Dubai. The higher cost of living is a trade-off I'm willing to acceptAnother downside is the cost of living in Dubai. I don't know where I'll be in 10 years, but for now, I'm happy with my life in Dubai.

Persons: Mary Pedler, —, I've, It's Organizations: Service Locations: Moscow, Dubai, Russia, Ukraine, Miami, London, America, Europe

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota officials on Thursday approved plans for the expansion of a solar energy project that a utility says will be one of the largest in the country with the capability of powering more than 150,000 homes. The state Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy's expansion of the Sherco Solar project, adding a 250-megawatt array to a 460-megawatt array now under construction. The solar generation will be near an existing coal-fired plant in Becker, Minnesota, northwest of Minneapolis. Political Cartoons View All 1173 ImagesThe commission also approved a plan for Xcel to buy electricity from a planned 100-megawatt solar project in northwestern Wisconsin. The Apple River project in Polk County, northeast of the Twin Cities, is one of the largest solar projects in Wisconsin.

Persons: Xcel Organizations: —, Public Utilities Commission, Twin Locations: MINNEAPOLIS, — Minnesota, Becker , Minnesota, Minneapolis, Becker, Wisconsin, Polk County, Twin Cities

☆ Biden’s offshore wind target slipping out of reach as projects struggle
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The 2030 target, unveiled shortly after Biden took office, is central to Biden's broader plan to decarbonize the U.S. economy by 2050. The energy research firm expects 21 GW of offshore wind along U.S. shores in 2030, breaking 30 GW by 2032. Still, offshore wind developers including Orsted have said the IRA’s subsidies are insufficient for projects to thrive in the current environment, and are lobbying the administration for additional concessions. The nation currently has just two pilot-scale offshore wind farms capable of producing 42 megawatts of electricity. Stephanie McClellan, executive director of the offshore wind advocacy group Turn Forward, said making sure the first fleet of projects succeeds was more important than a particular timeline.

Persons: Brian Snyder, Joe Biden’s, Biden, Kris Ohleth, It's, Samantha Woodworth, Wood Mackenzie, Michael Brown, France's, it's, Kelly Penot, Rousseau, Orsted, Michael Kikukawa, Samah Shaiq, Shaiq, Doreen Harris, NYSERDA, Elizabeth Mahony, Stephanie McClellan, Nichola Groom, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, BP, Shell, Companies, Developers, Ocean Winds, Reuters, Biden, U.S . Department of Energy, DOE, New York State Energy Research, Development Authority, New York State Department of Public Service, Equinor, Orsted . Massachusetts Department of Energy, Office of Energy, Environmental Affairs, New, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Thomson Locations: Rhode, U.S, North American, Massachusetts, Gulf of Mexico, Europe, Asia, China, United Kingdom, New Jersey, New York, Orsted .

☆ US House panel asks Hawaiian Electric CEO to testify in wildfire probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The shells of burned houses and buildings are left after wildfires driven by high winds burned across most of the town in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S. August 11, 2023. Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc FollowSept 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday asked utility company Hawaiian Electric (HE.N) CEO Shelee Kimura to testify at a hearing investigating the causes of the wildfire that killed at least 115 people and razed the historic town of Lahaina. Along with Kimura, the committee also summoned officials of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission and the Hawai’i State Energy Office. Last month, the panel sent letters to Hawaiian Electric as well as state utility officials, seeking information about the wildfires. Reporting by Mrinalika Roy and Sourasis Bose in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shelee Kimura, Kimura, Mrinalika Roy, Sourasis Bose, Pooja Desai Organizations: Hawai'i Department of Land, Natural Resources, REUTERS, Hawaiian Electric Industries, U.S . House Energy, Commerce, Electric, Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, Hawai’i, Energy Office, Thomson Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S, Washington, United States, Bengaluru

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers were scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to give Democratic Gov. Five companies paid roughly $750 million last year to lease areas off the California coast to build wind turbines. The bill before lawmakers Thursday would let the state buy the power. Consumers would not pay it until the wind projects are up and running, likely several years from now. The bill lawmakers approved on Wednesday also includes provisions to fast-track new electric transmission projects.

Persons: Gavin Newsom's, Alex Jackson, ”, Sen, Brian Dahle, ” Scott Wetch, Newsom, Henry Stern, Alice Reynolds, ” Reynolds Organizations: Democratic Gov, American Clean Power Association, Republican, of Water Resources, Democratic, California Public Utilities Commission Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, California

South Dakota regulators on Monday rejected a permit application for a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline through the state, dealing a fresh setback to the company behind the multistate project after North Dakota refused a siting permit for another leg there. The decision complicates an already complex process for Summit Carbon Solutions as it seeks similar authorization in other states amid opposition from landowners and environmental groups. Political Cartoons View All 1152 ImagesThe South Dakota panel's vote came on a motion made Friday by commission staff. They said Summit's proposed route would violate county ordinances involving setback distances. North Dakota regulators last month denied Summit a siting permit for its 320-mile (515-kilometer) proposed route through the state.

Persons: Summit, Summit's, Kristen Edwards, Brett Koenecke, Gary Hanson, ” Hanson, Lee Blank, Koenecke, Brian Jorde, ” Organizations: North Dakota, South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, Carbon Solutions, ”, Summit, Iowa Utilities Board, Public Service Commission Locations: Dakota, North, Iowa , Minnesota , Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, ”, Omaha, . Minnesota, Minnesota, Fergus Falls

REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 7 (Reuters) - The private equity owners of EagleView Technologies are exploring a sale of the provider of aerial imagery and data analytics services that could value it at about $2 billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter. EagleView generates about $300 million in revenue and 12-month earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $165 million, the sources said. In 2018, Clearlake bought a significant stake from Vista, becoming an equal owner in EagleView. Bellevue, Washington-based EagleView Technologies is a provider of software that can be used to measure rooftops with satellite images from the sky, mainly used by insurance companies to make more accurate decisions. The company is utilizing a vast library of images and its patented 3-D measurement software to provide software tools to customers in industries such as insurance, construction, government and public utilities.

Persons: Lucas Jackson, William Blair, Rothschild, EagleView, Vista, Clearlake, Milana Vinn, Marguerita Choy Organizations: New York Fire Department, FDNY, FDNY's, Center, REUTERS, EagleView Technologies, Vista Equity Partners, Clearlake, Co, Vista, Technologies, Thomson Locations: New York, EagleView, Vista, EagleView . Bellevue , Washington

South Dakota regulators on Wednesday denied a construction permit for a carbon dioxide pipeline project, one month after a North Dakota panel did the same to a similar project by another company. The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously to deny Navigator's application for its Heartland Greenway pipeline. The proposed South Dakota route encompassed 112 miles (180 kilometers) and would serve three ethanol plants. Other states continue to weigh Summit's project, which would encompass a 2,000-mile network from 30-some ethanol plants throughout Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota to an underground storage site in North Dakota. Summit this week withdrew its applications to Oliver County for two permits related to construction of injection wells for its underground CO2 storage site in central North Dakota.

Persons: Kristie Fiegen, Brian Jorde, It's, Oliver, Jaden Schmidt, Sabrina Ahmed Zenor, Oliver County's Organizations: The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, Summit Carbon Solutions, Navigator, The Iowa Utilities Board, Dakota's Public Service Commission Locations: Dakota, Illinois , Iowa, Minnesota , Nebraska, South Dakota, Illinois, The, Heartland, Iowa, Midwest, Iowa , Minnesota , Nebraska, North Dakota, Oliver County, Summit, Oliver

☆ Singapore to expand ocean CO2 removal project as scientists call for more research
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A view shows the interior of Equatic's pilot ocean carbon removal project at the Tuas Desalination Plant in western Singapore, August 30, 2023. As scientists call for more research into ocean carbon dioxide removal (OCDR), Singapore's Public Utilities Board (PUB) has built a plant that uses electricity to extract CO2 from seawater, allowing it to absorb more greenhouse gas from the atmosphere when it is pumped back out into the ocean. At the plant, seawater is run through an electrolyser, which converts dissolved CO2 into calcium carbonate and produces hydrogen. On Tuesday, more than 200 scientists said in an open letter that OCDR research should be prioritised not only to maximise its potential, but also head off potential risks. But billions of tons of CO2 need to be removed from the atmosphere, and more investment in OCDR research was needed urgently, he said.

Persons: David Stanway, Equatic, Gurdev Singh, OCDR, Gaurav Sant, Sir David King, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Singapore's Public Utilities Board, U.S, University of California, UCLA, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Rights SINGAPORE, Los Angeles

☆ Cruise disputes claim that its autonomous vehicle delayed first responders
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Gia Vang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A Cruise self-driving car, which is owned by General Motors Corp, is seen outside the company's headquarters in San Francisco. The company Cruise is pushing back against an accusation from the San Francisco Fire Department, which claims that one of the company's autonomous vehicles delayed an ambulance after a deadly accident. The department said emergency medical service crews faced a problem getting to the collision: two Cruise taxis blocking the road. But NBC Bay Area was able to review a nearly 13 minute video which is purportedly the incident in question. It appears to show what the company describes, including the ambulance managing to squeeze by the stopped Cruise car.

Persons: Cruise, It's, Aaron Peskin, Peskin Organizations: General Motors Corp, San Francisco Fire Department, NBC, Area, California Public Utilities Commission, Cruise Locations: San Francisco

But by January of this year, faced with rising rent, increased taxes and financing constraints, he closed it down. The government of Nicolas Maduro relaxed currency controls in 2019, allowing more transactions in dollars despite U.S. sanctions. The move led to a slight recovery in 2021 and 2022 after eight years of economic collapse and the migration of some 7.3 million Venezuelans. 'NO BUYING CAPACITY'Other businesses which have survived said they were slashing prices, salaries and profit margins to stay afloat. "Structural economic problems like scarce credit, an absence of recovery in public utilities, among others, were not resolved."

Persons: Enrique Perrella, Nicolas Maduro, Maduro, Yaner Fung, Fung, Ecoanalitica, Jesus Palacios, Migdalia Uviedo, Ivan Puerta, restaurateurs, Giulio Gallucci, Mayela Armas, Keren Torres, Tibisay Romero, Johnny Carvajal, Julia Symmes Cobb, Vivian Sequera, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Venezuelan Finance Observatory, Retailers, Restaurants, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, Caracas, Barquisimeto, Valencia, Ecoanalitica, Mexican

☆ It's doubtful that Silicon Valley billionaires could pull off building a new city from scratch in a remote California farmland anytime soon, developer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Silicon Valley billionaires buying up land in Solano County, California, could face big hurdles. In 2017, Flannery Associates pitched an idea to create a new, walkable city in Solano County. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. With the land purchased, the group's plot of land has started to encircle Travis Air Force Base nearby, according to The Wall Street Journal. AdvertisementAdvertisementThey're also not the first Silicon Valley billionaires using their extreme wealth to chase bold developing ambitions only to be met with grinding bureaucracy.

Persons: Flannery, Marc Andreessen, Laurene Powell Jobs —, Mark Friedman, It's, John Garamendi —, —, They're, Elon Musk Organizations: Flannery Associates, Service, Silicon, New York Times, Travis Air Force Base, Wall Street, Times, San Francisco, Democratic, FBI, Treasury Locations: Solano County , California, Solano County, Wall, Silicon, San Francisco , California, California, Sacramento

The suits allege that downed power lines operated by the company contributed to the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. The wildfire risk posed by aboveground power lines is well documented. Lives lost, billions in damagesThe Maui fires have killed at least 115 people with hundreds still missing. But Mitchell said insulating aboveground power lines with a protective covering is also an effective solution that is cheaper and can be rolled out more quickly. There is also technology coming to market that can de-energize power lines automatically when there's a problem, he said.

Persons: Mike Blake, Fitch, Berkshire Hathaway's, Paul Starita, They're, Singleton Schreiber, Alexandra von Meier, von Meier, Marshall, Michael Dougherty, Bob Frenzel, Xcel, Berkshire Hathaway, PacifiCorp, aboveground, Scott Aaronson, Aaronson, Joseph Mitchell, Mitchell Organizations: Reuters Electric, Hawaiian Electric, National Weather Service, Hawaii Electric, . Pacific Gas & Electric, PG, Xcel Energy, U.S . Forest Service, University of California, Moody's, Fitch, Electric, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, Xcel, Marshall Fire, Marshall, Boulder, Labor, Fire, American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE, The Edison Electric Institute, California Public Utilities Commission Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S, Maui County, Hurricane, California, Berkshire, Berkshire Hathaway's PacifiCorp, Oregon, Colorado, Berkeley, Minnesota, Boulder County, Paradise, Golden

☆ San Francisco officials want to stop robotaxis operating 24/7 after one got stuck in concrete and others caused traffic chaos
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

San Francisco is getting ready to tell robotaxi operators: not so fast. San Francisco wants robotaxi operators to slow things down amid a series of unfortunate events. San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed motions to the California Public Utilities Commission, the regulatory body that voted in favor of full-scale robotaxi services this month, asking for permits to be temporarily suspended, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. Previously, Waymo could only offer rides without charge and Cruise was limited to operating in about a third of San Francisco. However, San Francisco residents have been increasingly vocal about their city becoming a dangerous test-bed for driverless car technology amid fears the robotaxis will cause havoc.

Persons: Francisco, Cruise, General Motors, David Chiu, Aaron Peskin, Axios, Waymo Organizations: General, California Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco Chronicle, Cruise, San Francisco, of Supervisors, San Locations: San Francisco, San Francisco City

☆ Self-driving car company Cruise agreed to reduce its driverless fleet by 50% after a spate of recent crashes. San Francisco officials previously pushed for a slower rollout of robotaxis.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

City officials previously told Insider the approval would be "premature." Cruise, a self-driving car company, agreed to slash its driverless taxi operation in San Francisco by half on Friday following reports of two separate crashes involving its vehicles. One Cruise vehicle also drove into wet concrete at a construction site. Another collision occurred that evening, in which another vehicle ran a red light "at a high rate of speed," the company told Insider. Tilly Chang, executive director of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), previously told Insider that her agency believes approving the permits would be "premature."

Persons: Alphabet's Waymo, Darcie Houck, robotaxis, Cruise, San Francisco, Tilly Chang, Chang, We've, Joe Castiglione, SFCTA's, CPUC, Castiglione Organizations: California Department of Motor Vehicles, DMV, California Public Utilities Commission, CBS, City, San, San Francisco County Transportation Authority Locations: California, San Francisco, San Francisco County, —

☆ California regulator probes crashes involving GM's Cruise robotaxis
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A Cruise self-driving car, which is owned by General Motors Corp, is seen outside the company's headquarters in San Francisco where it does most of its testing, in California, U.S., September 26, 2018. The statement from California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) came after a Cruise robotaxi was involved in a crash with an emergency vehicle in San Francisco late on Thursday, the latest accident involving the self-driving cars. The two have been running robotaxi tests limited by times and geographic areas within San Francisco. San Francisco will suffer serious harms from this unfettered expansion," he said in a statement. Reporting by Abhirup Roy and Hyunjoo Jin in San Francisco; editing by Diane Craft and Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Heather Somerville, robotaxi, Cruise, David Chiu, Abhirup Roy, Hyunjoo Jin, Diane Craft, Sonali Paul Organizations: General Motors Corp, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, General Motors, California Department of Motor Vehicles, DMV, San Francisco Police Department, Reuters, California Public Utilities Commission, City, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, California, U.S, Cruise

☆ GM's Cruise robotaxi collides with fire truck in San Francisco
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Initial investigation shows the collision occurred when a fire truck was operating in an emergency with its forward facing red lights and siren on, the San Francisco Police Department said in a statement to Reuters. The San Francisco Fire Department did not respond to requests for comment. The two have been running robotaxi tests limited by times and geographic areas within San Francisco. San Francisco will suffer serious harms from this unfettered expansion," he said in a statement. Reporting by Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; editing by Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Heather Somerville, robotaxi, Cruise, David Chiu, Abhirup Roy, Diane Craft Organizations: General Motors Corp, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, General Motors, Twitter, San Francisco Police Department, Reuters, Cruise, San Francisco Fire Department, California Public Utilities Commission, City, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, California, U.S, Cruise

☆ As well as 24-hour robotaxis, San Francisco now has a driverless bus service too
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A driverless bus will run a seven-stop loop around Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. San Francisco authorities last week allowed driverless taxis to operate 24 hours a day. Just a week after allowing robotaxis to operate around the clock, San Francisco has launched an driverless shuttle bus service. A day after the announcement, a number of self-driving cars stalled in San Francisco, leading to a bizarre traffic jam captured on video. Beep and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Persons: Shelly Caran, John Reynolds Organizations: Miami Zoo, Associated Press, Passengers, AP, California Public Utilities Commission, San, San Francisco County Transportation Authority Locations: San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, Francisco, Florida, Yellowstone, San Francisco County

☆ A driverless car in San Francisco drove right into wet concrete and got stuck after seemingly mistaking it for a regular road: 'It ain't got a brain'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A driverless Cruise car got temporarily stuck in wet concrete in San Francisco on Tuesday. A driverless Cruise car with no passengers got stuck in wet concrete at a construction site in San Francisco on Tuesday, SFGATE first reported. "It thinks it's a road and it ain't because it ain't got a brain and it can't tell that it's freshly poured concrete," Harvey told SFGATE. A rise in commercial AVs in San Francisco would "inevitably lead to an increase in traffic congestion and the number of dangerous incidents," Chiu's office said in a press release. "San Francisco will suffer serious harms from this unfettered expansion, which outweigh whatever impacts AV companies may experience from a minimal pause in commercial deployment."

Persons: SFGATE, Paul Harvey, Harvey, Rachel Gordon, Cruise, Gordon, David Chiu, Chiu, Waymo Organizations: San Francisco Department of Public, New York Times, Times, California Public Utilities Commission, General Motors, Google Locations: San Francisco, California, SF, Francisco

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