Waymo is cleared to launch robotaxi service in Los Angeles

State regulators on Friday gave the green light for Waymo to expand into Los Angeles and San Mateo counties, clearing the way for the driverless taxi service to launch in the coming months. Exactly when Waymo services will be available in Los Angeles is still to be determined, but the decision by the California Public Utilities Commission will open the streets of America's second-largest city to a fleet of autonomous vehicles -- even as self-driving cars continue to be the subject of safety concerns and some public criticism. Waymo, formerly known as the Google self-driving car project, is owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet, and already operates in parts of San Francisco. Waymo's driverless taxi launch in Santa Monica attracted both excited enthusiasts and concerned critics. The company is allowed to operate fully autonomous vehicles and carry public passengers as part of its testing and promotion, and has been testing its driverless white Jaguars in Los Angeles for more than a year.