Waymo and the Zoox robotaxi are a regular sight on the streets of San Francisco, and soon Uber, through a partnership with Lucid and Nuro, will descend on the city. It’s just the way San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie likes it.
“I think we should be the testing ground for emerging technology and AI and healthcare technology — and all of that,” Lurie said Wednesday on the TechCrunch Disrupt main stage. “We always have been, and under my leadership, we will continue to lead and lean.”
Lurie added that he is proud of the success Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving technology company, has had in the Bay Area. And he said “we welcome others”.
Lurie was quick to say that safety comes first, adding that autonomous vehicles are regulated at the state level. The California Department of Motor Vehicles regulates the testing and development of autonomous vehicles. But companies that want to offer and charge for ride-hailing robots must also obtain permits from the California Public Utilities Commission.
While Lurie is opening its arms to autonomous vehicles, other cities are more resistant. Boston, for example, has considered banning autonomous vehicles in the city.
“Waymo has proven it’s a safe ride,” he said, noting that the robotaxi has attracted tourists who come to the city to take a ride in driverless vehicles. “Hopefully it will open soon at the airport and be able to bring people here into the city.”
That doesn’t mean there won’t be some resistance. For example, the Teamsters Union has lobbied for restrictions on self-driving trucks in an effort to protect jobs.
Lurie, meanwhile, is bullish on technology and the money and jobs it can bring to the city.
“We believe in the future,” he said. “The future always starts in San Francisco, and we’re going to lean into it.”
