Waymo Complains California's Government Says Its Robotaxi Service Must Be Free For Now (latimes.com) 36
"Waymo wants to deploy a robotaxi service for the general public in parts of California as soon as possible," reports the Los Angeles Times. "But that's unlikely, the company says, because California says it has to offer the service for free."
Last year, the California Public Utilities Commission allowed driverless "robotaxi" pilot programs in the state but banned permit-holders from charging fares. The ban is considered temporary but has no timeline. Some industry analysts say the uncertainty could put California's reputation as the world leader in driverless technology at risk.
The free-or-nothing mandate makes no sense to Waymo, the driverless vehicle arm of Google's Alphabet, or to other driverless vehicle start-ups hoping to establish themselves in a new industry that could produce the biggest change in ground transportation since the invention of the automobile. Waymo requires a "commercial path forward" before it can offer Californians the kind of driverless taxi service it's already running across 100 square miles in Phoenix, according to George Ivanov, Waymo's head of policy development and regulatory initiatives...
In July, Waymo began a commission-approved pilot program to ferry Waymo and Google employees and guests through parts of Silicon Valley in driverless cars for free. Waymo doesn't need fare money to fund operations -- Alphabet is an enormous profit machine, and holds more than $100 billion in cash. But Ivanov explained that experimenting with customer response to different fare structures is essential to building out the robotaxi business, which would be like Uber or Lyft but without a human driver.
The free-or-nothing mandate makes no sense to Waymo, the driverless vehicle arm of Google's Alphabet, or to other driverless vehicle start-ups hoping to establish themselves in a new industry that could produce the biggest change in ground transportation since the invention of the automobile. Waymo requires a "commercial path forward" before it can offer Californians the kind of driverless taxi service it's already running across 100 square miles in Phoenix, according to George Ivanov, Waymo's head of policy development and regulatory initiatives...
In July, Waymo began a commission-approved pilot program to ferry Waymo and Google employees and guests through parts of Silicon Valley in driverless cars for free. Waymo doesn't need fare money to fund operations -- Alphabet is an enormous profit machine, and holds more than $100 billion in cash. But Ivanov explained that experimenting with customer response to different fare structures is essential to building out the robotaxi business, which would be like Uber or Lyft but without a human driver.
Solution is staring you in the face, Google (Score:5, Insightful)
Show the captive passengers adverts, and don’t unlock the doors until some minimum standard of active engagement has been captured by your surveillance system.
Come on, Google, it’s how you do everything else...
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They were going to do that anyway.
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don't unlock the doors until some minimum standard of active engagement
Gee ... I wish *I* had thought of this.
Sunday November 03, 2019 @03:12PM [slashdot.org]
It's a great deal -- pickups are free! No drivers to talk to you or anything!! And we'll even drive you to where you are going!!!
Oh, you want to be let out now? Well now, THAT'LL cost you. And don't bother trying to bribe the driver, either -- we own him body and tire.
I'll just be standing off in the corner, pouting.
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"you may ride forever
above the streets of mtn view;
you're the man - who never returned."
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Gee ... I wish *I* had thought of this.
Ah, but you didn't post *insightfully*. It's all in the wrist action.
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Arggghhh. I think I need to start carrying a large wrench in that future...
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"To exit car, please submit your personal phone number for your security. To make sure that it is you who are actually leaving, what was your first dog's name? Did you have a mother? If so, what was her maiden name? What is your favorite color/food/drink/celebrity/pr0n/movie/odor/clothing/etc."
Log entry:
2019.11.04 18:27:03 arrayListHandler error, redundant element [itemid #382974 "pr0n"]; internal systems already have that information.
California (Score:2)
They didn't outright ban them as causing cancer. They just said that they're only allowed to lose money by running their business.
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Waymo said they just wanted to test the technology. They got their request granted in a way that assured their stated reasons would be the only reason they would operate.
Kinda like when the homeless guy says he hasn't eaten all day, please give him a dollar or two and so you give him food.
what a shame (Score:2)
Oh, fuck you Google (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: Oh, fuck you Google (Score:2)
Questions (Score:5, Interesting)
Taxis require you to pay once you have reached your destination and the total is displayed (exceptions for trips to LaGuardia and possibly other airports which have a fixed price for taxis).
What if when you get to your destination you go to pay (via their app, I presume) and it doesn't work? For whatever reason you can't pay. Will it accept cash or credit/debit card? Will the doors remain locked until you pay?
What if you pay but later get a bill from the taxi company claiming you didn't because they have no record of you paying? Does your app have that record or will you have to go to your bank to get a copy of the payment to the taxi company? What if the app says you paid but there's no record from your bank?
I'm presuming you get some kind of receipt other than their app (see above)?
Will the taxi know not to sit in traffic for an extended period of time if traffic is backed up and try to take an alternate route?
What if on your way to your destination you need to make stop somewhere else before that final stop? Does the taxi have the ability to change destinations on the fly?
will they take drunk people on a $250 long trip (Score:2)
will they take drunk people on a $250 long trip around town with no oversight?
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Apparently, if you tell it to do so, yes. How is this automated taxi to know you're drunk and not coherent enough to make a rational decision? Where's the oversight in this situation?
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Late night bar pick going for an local ride. With no oversight we can take the very long way and bill someone big time.
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tell me when it can pass the black cab london test (Score:2)
tell me when it can pass the black cab london test.
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It will be like Uber where when you arrive the app debits your pre-registered credit card.
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When you book the ride, the ride company checks if you
have the funds, or else it won't accept the reservation.
No charge start makes sense (Score:2)
These companies will be beta testing their offering on customers, there be a huge number of initial issues... it makes sense to offer it at no/low cost to start to avoid value issues.
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Prove the technology before you sell it! Oh wait, that's the opposite of standard business practice, better to harm the customer and learn from that.
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Part of proving the technology is seeing whether people are willing to pay money for it.
What customers are harmed ?
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Technology is proven? AI can ride on public roads merely because some marketing firm claims it's ready? Best to put it through more tests rather than treat people as lab rats.
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Awesome. (Score:2)
Why is EditorDavid allowed to run Slashdot? (Score:3)
Take it as a compliment (Score:1)
The best things in life are free, aren't they — so your service must be among the best!
Seriously, Google. You actively promote and support — both as individuals [cnn.com] and as a company [slate.com] — the Left politicians.
Were you hoping, they'll leave you alone in exchange for your support? Fat chance — the two major stars [davidharrisjr.com] so beloved by California in general and Google in particular both believe, it is shameful
They couldn't *pay me* to use it (Score:2)
Wrong last line (Score:2)
..., which would be like Uber or Lyft but without a human driver.
Uber and Lyft exist to exploit individual members of society. Driverless cars are more like any good old taxi company, unless you want to borrow the vehicles from individual members of society.