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Cruise and Waymo earned autonomous vehicle permits to provide ride services to passengers in California. Reuters reports they are the first of the self-driving companies to receive such permits.
Cruise, of Alphabet Inc., will be able to offer autonomous rides in certain areas of San Francisco. Per the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Cruise’s rides can function between the times of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. at a speed of no more than 30 miles per hour.
Waymo, of General Motors Co., will utilize its autonomous vehicles, but a safety driver will be in the car. The presence of the safety driver allows Waymo’s cars to operate on public roads in areas of San Francisco and San Mateo counties. Its speed limit cannot exceed 65 miles per hour.
The acquisition of the permit allows Waymo to expand from suburban areas in Arizona where it was already offering paid, driverless rides.
Cruise had been testing in San Francisco with General Motors’ Bolt EVs and Waymo used the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace SUVs.
In order to charge customers for the self-driving rides in California, the companies will need another permit according to the DMV. This permit would come from the California Public Utilities Commission.
Image Credit: Alphabet Cruise