The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has halted self-driving car company Waymo's ambitions to widen its service coverage in Los Angeles County and Silicon Valley for a maximum of 120 days. San Mateo County Board of Supervisors Vice President David J. Canepa expressed concerns to KTVU that Waymo's supposed stalling of meaningful discussions has prevented the company from testing its robotaxi service without restrictions in San Mateo and Los Angeles County.

In response to the CPUC's decision, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass brought up safety incidents in San Francisco involving Waymo vehicles obstructing firehouse driveways and parking over fire hoses in a letter to CPUC President Alice Busching Reynolds. Waymo initiated passenger services in late 2021 in parts of L.A. County such as Santa Monica, Century City, West Hollywood, Mid-City Koreatown, and downtown L.A., as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

Bass had previously urged the CPUC to permit local regulation of self-driving vehicles, citing a lack of input from local jurisdictions like Los Angeles in the deployment process and the resulting disruptions. Waymo, prior to its service area expansion, engaged with stakeholders including county officials, local first responders, cities, and bike coalitions to discuss the company’s mission, experience, and technology implementation, as stated by a Waymo spokesperson to the Times.

The CPUC's decision to pause Waymo's expansion plans underscores the importance of addressing public safety concerns surrounding autonomous vehicle deployment in California.