“It’s very important that we have access as a fire department or for law enforcement as well to the vehicle in some way, shape, or form.”
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Self-driving Waymo vehicles could begin carrying passengers in Sacramento within weeks, according to a Sacramento city councilmember, as city officials and first responders continue preparing for the company’s rollout.
Waymo vehicles are already testing and mapping roads across Sacramento with specialists behind the wheel while operating in autonomous mode. The vehicles are stored and charged at a parking lot near 14th and I streets in downtown Sacramento.
“It’s sort of a three-phase process. First, Waymo spent a ton of time just mapping the roads. They’re past that. Now what we’re seeing are the vehicles out there with a driver still attentive, but the vehicles are operating autonomously. The next phase will be to test autonomous vehicles and then deploy for the public,” Sacramento City Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum said.
Pluckebaum said passenger service could begin within a month. Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty first announced Waymo’s planned rollout in March, saying, “Technology is changing our mobility options forever.”
As the rollout approaches, Sacramento Fire officials said they are working to address operational concerns involving autonomous vehicles during emergencies.
“There’s when we’re responding, and we need them to yield to our red lights and siren, we need to make sure that they are programmed for that. It seems like they are, but we need to just make sure. And then operationally, when we’re on scene of a vehicle, if it’s going to avoid that area or how that vehicle is going to navigate around our apparatus,” Sacramento Fire Capt. Justin Sylvia said.
Sylvia said the Sacramento Fire Department has assigned a battalion chief to a working group with Waymo, the Sacramento Police Department and city officials to develop a rollout plan and address public safety concerns.
“Anytime there’s an issue, just like if a human operates a vehicle incorrectly, there’ll be an investigation. Same will happen around these systems,” Pluckebaum said.
San Francisco leaders recently backed a federal bill that would regulate how autonomous vehicles interact with first responders. The proposal calls for emergency protocols, a 24/7 hotline and digital geofencing.
“I think it’s very important that we have access, as a fire department or for law enforcement as well, to the vehicle in some way, shape or form,” Sylvia said. “Being able to move the vehicle, get it out of our way, or contact someone on a 24/7 basis that has access to the vehicle and can navigate it.”
Sylvia said the bill is a step in the right direction, but firefighters will need to continue working with Waymo as the technology is introduced.
“When something is new like this, especially to us, there’s going to be things that are kind of blind spots for us that we don’t see initially. But as we start seeing more Waymo usage go on, we’re going to have to make some tweaks,” Sylvia said.
Waymo declined an interview and said it has no new timeline to share. The company said its vehicles are currently testing in autonomous mode with specialists behind the wheel.
Pluckebaum said he expects passenger service to begin in downtown Sacramento and Midtown before potentially expanding to other areas.
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