Driverless vehicles no longer exist solely in spy movies and futuristic dreams. In fact, Solano County streets are one step closer to a future that features these self-driving “robotaxis.”
The autonomous driving technology company, Waymo — formerly the Google self-driving car project — recently received approval by the California Department of Motor Vehicles to begin testing in seven Solano County cities. Approved locations are:
- Vallejo
- Vacaville
- Fairfield
- Benicia
- Dixon
- Suisun City
- Rio Vista
The news comes as part of a major wave of approval to expand testing in Northern California areas, including several cities in the Sacramento region and Yolo County.
Though the DMV’s approval progresses the deployment of vehicles, the company still requires a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission before it can start officially offering paid public rides in these new areas. The thought of Waymo vehicles soon navigating Solano County roads, however, brought mixed emotions from residents…