Autonomous taxis have arrived in Los Angeles

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Los Angeles, to drivers, has never been for the faint of heart. A land where most cannot fathom life without wheels, it offers a daily parade of frustration: congestion, accidents, construction, road rage, tedium.

Now joining the fray is an entirely new type of motorist — one that touts itself as measured and unemotional, respectful and obedient. Which is to say, there is no driver at all.

Waymo, a fleet of autonomous taxis that is already operating in San Francisco and Phoenix, has begun carrying passengers across a small swath of Los Angeles County. The white Jaguar sport utility vehicles — notable for their spinning black domes that cover an array of cameras and sensors — have been cleared for commercial rides, with free trips available to a select few. It will soon offer a paid service with prices comparable to those charged by Uber and Lyft.

Owned by Alphabet, the parent company of Google, Waymo bills its autonomous vehicles as “the world’s most experienced drivers.” There is already a list of 50,000 people waiting for a chance to ride one in Los Angeles. For some, the intrigue is the technology. Others are drawn to the idea of avoiding small talk and the pressure to tip.

Still, civic leaders have protested Waymo’s arrival, warning of safety risks, while labor unions are wary of how it might affect jobs in an already saturated market. And many residents are not so sure they would trust an empty driver’s seat.

Waymo’s footprint will, at first, be tiny. With fewer than 50 cars, its territory is limited to about 63 square miles, extending from Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles. For now, it will not operate at the airport, and its cars do not travel on the freeways that are such fixtures in the region.

The company recognizes those drawbacks but wants to be thoughtful about expansion while serving those who need rides close to home, said Chris Ludwick, the director of product management for Waymo. He hopes that nervous riders will soon learn there are few experiences similar to being chauffeured entirely alone in a luxury car.

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