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Waymo and Cruise get approval to offer 24/7 paid robotaxi rides in San Francisco
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has voted 3 to 1 in favor of allowing the companies to expand their driverless services.
Cruise can now charge for fully driverless rides in San Francisco
It's the first company to receive permission from the California Public Utilities Commission.
GM's Cruise can give California passengers fully driverless rides
The California Public Utilities Commission has issued Cruise the permit needed to give passengers a ride without a driver behind the wheel.
California fines Uber $59 million for not sharing sexual assault case data
Uber has been fined $59 million by California regulators over its refusal to hand over more detailed data from a 2019 report on sexual assault.
T-Mobile asks California to soften 5G, job conditions for Sprint merger (updated)
T-Mobile has asked California to soften the conditions for its Sprint merger, including 5G and jobs.
Waymo will test its self-driving taxis on employees in California
Self-driving venture Waymo has been given permission by California authorities to transport people in its robotaxis. According to TechCrunch, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) gave Waymo the green light this week, issuing a permit that will allow the company to participate in the state's Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Service pilot. This means that Waymo employees will be able to hail a self-driving vehicle and take guests on rides within the company's South Bay territory.
Tesla's next California energy storage project may be its largest yet
Tesla's giant Australian energy storage facility may seem small in the near future. Pacific Gas and Electric has submitted proposals for four new energy storage projects to the California Public Utilities Commission, one of which is for a facility at its Moss Landing substation that could output 182.5MW over the course of four hours -- that's more than 3,000 of Tesla's Powerpack 2 units. For context, the Australian location outputs 'just' 129MW. The project would have a total 1.1GWh capacity, which fits with Elon Musk's recent hints that Tesla could have a "gigawatt-hour scale" deal within months.
Uber accused of ignoring drunk driver complaints in California
In the latest string of bad PR for Uber, the company could be facing down yet another fine from regulators in the state of California, this time for allegedly failing to look into rider complaints of drivers on the service being under the influence. As the Los Angeles Times reports, the state has a zero-tolerance policy for intoxicated drivers on ride-hailing platforms, meaning the company must immediately suspend and investigate a driver if they receive a complaint. But according to a legal filing from the California Public Utilities Commission, the ride-hailing giant failed to take action in at least 149 complaints during the one-year period from August 2014 to 2015, and may have left potentially dangerous drivers on the road.
'Uber for kids' car service runs afoul of California laws
Shuddle, an on demand driver service that lets strangers drive your kids around, billing itself as the "Uber for kids", is in trouble with California regulators. The company received a cease and desist letter from the California Public Utilities Commission last November after regulators noticed that Shuddle had yet to register with TrustLine, the state agency that fingerprints and runs background checks on adults working in child care. USA Today reports that so far, Shuddle has yet to comply with the CPUC's demand, opening the company to further regulatory action that could include its halting operations via court order. "Safety is our top priority," CPUC director of news and information Terrie Prosper told USA Today.
Lyft joins new alliance seeking to clean up ridesharing's insurance mess
Although there's now some legal groundwork in place for ridesharing companies, insurance remains a gray area -- witness the Uber driver who was involved in a fatal accident while off work. How do you cover a car that's both personal transportation and a source of income? We may soon have a clearer picture thanks to the newly created Peer-to-Peer Rideshare Insurance Coalition. The alliance between government, insurance firms and transporters will set guidelines for insuring ridesharing services. Only Lyft and the California Public Utlities Commission have announced their membership so far, but a full roster should be coming later in the week. A first meeting, meanwhile, is due later in February. Not that Lyft is waiting to take action; it's adding coverage beyond drivers' personal insurance while they're on duty.
California regulator sets rules for ridesharing companies
The California Public Utilities Commission approved ridesharing companies early this year, but it offered only a few temporary guidelines while it worked on a formal rule set. Today, the regulator has published those definitive rules. Companies like Lyft, SideCar and Uber now have to get a CPUC license to operate under a new Transportation Network Company category. To maintain that license, they'll have to run background checks, train drivers, hold a minimum level of insurance, inspect cars and drop employees who abuse alcohol or drugs. The requirements won't necessarily eliminate tension with Los Angeles and other cities that believe they have jurisdiction over taxi-like services. However, the CPUC's move gives California ridesharing companies a degree of comfort -- they can keep operating in many cities without fear of being shut down.
Uber, other car-hailing apps now a-okay with California regulators
Uber and similar ride-hailing apps have had their run-ins against authorities before, but it looks like the town car service is finally getting a reprieve, at least in California. Last October, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency issued a cease and desist order plus a $20,000 citation to private car ventures like Uber, Lyft and Sidecar over an apparent lack of permits and licenses. However, the commission changed its tune in December when it decided to evaluate the safety of such services, and has now suspended those complaints altogether as it works toward a resolution. More over, the CPUC officially approved ridesharing -- where the drivers are not specifically licensed to drive a limousine or a taxi -- thus legitimizing Lyft and opening the door for others to offer such services in the future. The CPUC states it'll still require "continued proof of insurance, Department of Motor Vehicle checks and national criminal background checks," especially if the service uses "non-licensed charter party carriers." Regardless, it's still a victorious day for lazy smartphone-wielding commuters in the Golden State.
