In last week’s issue of BVA Happenings, BVA Deputy Director of Government Relations Alek Libbin explained how BVA members can make their voices heard on the issue of autonomous self-driving vehicles. As an example, Alek pointed out the regulatory function of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). He emphasized that the CPUC regulates not only utility companies and their actions but also transportation services such as Uber and Lyft. 

The regulatory function of transportation services is important because BVA is supporting Waymo’s efforts to operate in San Francisco. Waymo is a company that operates a fully automatous ride-hailing service enabling people with disabilities to move more freely and less expensively than they would using other ride-hailing services. These vehicles are fully capable of self-driving without a driver present. They have logged more than a million miles without a single accident-related death, injury, or at-fault accident.

This past week, citizens were able to express their opinion and leave a comment. BVA prepared a letter for BVA Happenings readers to send to the CPUC, advocating that Waymo be granted a permit to operate in San Francisco. The Association also joined other disability advocacy groups in signing an open letter penned to the CPUC expressing approval for the restrictions to be lifted. 

In late-breaking news early this morning, the CPUC voted to 3-1 after a six-hour hearing to allow Waymo to operate its driverless vehicles in San Francisco at any hour of the day throughout the city of San Francisco. The win is a huge one for both Waymo and the vast amount of funding that has gone into developing the technology in recent years.

BVA’s position on the issue, and the Association’s efforts in Waymo’s favor, were publicized on Wednesday in two online publications, the Disability Support Guide here and The Guardian here.