San Francisco vote gives tech firms approval for robotaxis roll-out

Waymo will be permitted to drive at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour and in inclement weather, while Cruise will be limited to 35 miles per hour and will not be allowed to drive when weather does not permit

Transportation and safety agencies, such as the police and fire departments, as well as many residents had opposed expanding paid robotaxi service because of what they said were concerns about erratic driving and interference with their operations. File photo: REUTERS/Paresh Dave

California just supercharged the self-driving car industry.

Following a contentious state agency vote, Alphabet Inc’s Google Waymo and General Motors’ Cruise are allowed to take paying passengers day or night throughout San Francisco, solidifying the tech hub as the centre of the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry. It marks a significant step forward for the nascent technology.