Study finds robotaxis do not reduce traffic compared to ride-hailing services

The deployment of autonomous vehicles, including robotaxis, has become a reality in several American cities. This development follows over a decade of advancements since the DARPA Grand Challenges. Waymo, a leader in this field, began its commercial service in California with a safety driver present. Proponents of autonomous vehicle technology argue that it has the potential to be safer than human-driven vehicles, citing Waymo's data which indicates fewer crashes and lower insurance claims compared to human drivers. However, recent incidents involving school buses and flooded roads highlight that the technology still has limitations. Additionally, while autonomous vehicles are promoted as a solution to traffic congestion, data from Waymo's reports to the California Public Utilities Commission suggests that they do not alleviate traffic any more effectively than existing ride-hailing services such as Lyft and Uber.