Ahead of Protests, Waymo Scales Back Robotaxi Service Nationwide

Waymo will be temporarily Limiting the Robotaxi service in all its national markets, the company said on Friday, while American cities are preparing for a wave of protests Federal immigration policies and the police and military repression against the demonstrators. THE Alphabet The subsidiary will stop the service in Los Angeles quite.

Waymo Spoony Sandy Karp confirmed the break and the service adjustments, but refused to comment more. Nothing indicates how long the service changes will last.

Adjustments will affect the service to San Francisco; Austin, Texas; And Atlanta, Georgia. Friday afternoon, some runners from San Francisco saw messages in the application showing that all of the company’s robotaxis was occupied and so unable to take rides.

This decision comes a week after the demonstrators burnt down five autonomous taxis operated by the company in downtown Los Angeles. The images of the fires have become viral on social networks and have become a flash point in discussions on the violence of the demonstrations and the role that technology plays in the surveillance of citizens. The incident Questions raised About the camera data and sensors collected by Waymo on public roads, and how or if they are shared with the police. Earlier this week, Karp told Wired that the company generally disputes data requests which are too large or which have no solid legal basis. She refused to comment on specific cases.

Waymo sometimes adjusts service areas before major events marked by large crowds and traffic, including sports matches and concerts, and in response to incidents such as fires or floods where road safety is a concern.