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Waymo will launch paid robotaxi service in Los Angeles on Wednesday


Autonomous taxis are getting more buzz, as GM subsidiary Cruise said it was resuming some operations and Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he was planning a product launch in August.

It’s been offering free “on tour” rides since, and last month it received regulatory approval for the expansion to a paid service, despite pushback from the Teamsters union and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Robotaxis have faced criticism on multiple fronts, from the threat they pose to drivers’ jobs to the mistakes they’ve made blocking city buses or emergency vehicles. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation said the Waymo expansion was happening too soon, without enough local oversight of autonomous vehicle operations, but in an order last month state officials said that those concerns were unfounded.

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