Robotaxis Made Available to Everyone in Los Angeles
8
Advanced
Vocabulary
Repeat each word, definition, and example sentence after your tutor.
regulatorNounˈreɡjuleɪtər
a person or organization that supervises a particular industry or area of business
Aviation regulators introduced a number of new safety protocols following the accident.
pioneerNounˌpaɪəˈniːr
a person or thing that is among the first to do, develop, etc. something new
Amelia Earhart, a pioneer in aviation, was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.
noveltyNounˈnɑːvlti
something that is new or unfamiliar
Tesla started making electric cars back when they were still a novelty.
embraceVerbɪmˈbreɪs
to accept or support a new idea, technology, belief, etc. with enthusiasm
Young people are usually quick to embrace new technology.
rivalNounˈraɪvəl
a person or thing competing with another business, player, etc.
HBO Max and Disney+ are among Netflix's biggest rivals.
sidelineVerbˈsaɪdlaɪn
to remove from an important or central position or place
After the budget cuts, several major projects were sidelined.
Article
Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your tutor.Robotaxis Made Available to Everyone in Los AngelesRobotaxis Made Available to Everyone in Los Angeles
Autonomous driving company Waymo has opened its robotaxi service to anyone who wants a ride around Los Angeles.
It's a big moment for Waymo, 15 years after the company began as a secret project at Google.
The expansion comes eight months after Waymo began offering rides in Los Angeles to a limited group of passengers chosen from a waiting list of more than 300,000 people.
Now, anyone with the Waymo One smartphone app will be able to request a ride around a 129-square-kilometer area spanning the second largest US city.
After Waymo received approval from California regulators to charge for rides 15 months ago, the company chose to launch its operations in San Francisco before offering a limited service in Los Angeles.
Before deciding to compete against conventional ride-hailing pioneers Uber and Lyft in California, Waymo released its robotaxis in Phoenix in 2020 and has been steadily extending the reach of its service in that Arizona city ever since.
Driverless rides are proving to be more than just a novelty. Waymo says it now does more than 150,000 weekly trips in its robotaxis.
"Our service has matured quickly and our riders are embracing the many benefits of fully autonomous driving," Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said in a blog post.
However, Waymo is still believed to be losing money.
But the company has come a long way since Google began working on self-driving cars in 2009. Still owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet, Waymo has established itself as the clear leader in a robotaxi industry that's only getting more competitive.
Tesla plans to launch a rival "Cybercab" service by 2026, while Amazon hopes to begin offering driverless rides with its Zoox service during 2025.
Safety is the biggest worry for most people when it comes to driverless vehicles. Waymo's robotaxis have provided more than 2 million rides to passengers without encountering a serious accident that resulted in its operations being sidelined.
However, other companies — including Cruise, owned by General Motors — have seen their operations paused after serious accidents.
Discussion
Have a discussion based on the following questions.- What are your thoughts on Waymo opening its robotaxi service in LA?
- Would you try robotaxis if they were available where you live?
- When do you expect robotaxis to become commonplace in your country?
- Do you think self-driving cars will eventually make the roads safer?
- Would you like to own a self-driving car someday?
Further Discussion
Have a discussion based on the following questions.- Do you drive? If so, do you enjoy driving or find it stressful? If not, why not?
- How often do you use ride-hailing apps?
- What do you find most frustrating about traveling by car?
- When was the last time you were in a car with someone whose driving made you nervous or uneasy?
- What do you think new cars will be like a decade from now?