Among the things my generation has been promised, Im especially excited about the rise of robotaxis.
Sadly, they arent yet flooding the streets, as we expected or wished for.
Regulatory approvals arent that easy to get, and the tech is still facing some hurdles.
For now, the major players are operating in the US and China.
The US
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you’re free to use the accompanying app to hail theWaymo One robotaxiand pay for the ride.
San Francisco, California:Again Waymoterritory.
The company has been giving free autonomous rides as part of its Trusted Tester program since last August.
Nowits ready to remove safety drivers, although it hasnt announced a specific date.
Theres also Cruise thats debutingits robotaxi servicesin the area.
Both companies need to obtain permits from the state to start collecting fares.
All these companies presently offer their rides for free.
Wuhan:Deeproute and WeRide.ai are offering free rides in theirautonomous vehicles.
Chongqing, Changsha, and Cangzhou:Baidus Apollo Go is the only service available for now.
We will continue updating the article with the new emerging places and companies.
Story byIoanna Lykiardopoulou
Ioanna is a writer at TNW.
With a background in the humanities, she has a soft spot for social impact-enabling technologies.
