California regulators have given Alphabet‘s Waymo the green light to expand its driverless robotaxi services to Los Angeles and certain cities near San Francisco. The expansion, effective immediately, marks a significant step for Waymo, which already operates in San Francisco and Phoenix.

Waymo submitted its proposal for expansion on January 19, emphasizing collaboration with policymakers, first responders, and community organizations. However, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) initially suspended the application for further review.

Despite protests from entities like the City of South San Francisco, the County of San Mateo, and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the CPUC ultimately approved Waymo’s proposal.

South San Francisco argued that the public should have the opportunity to provide testimony and evidence regarding Waymo’s expansion, while San Mateo County stated that local stakeholders should have been consulted before approval.

During the approval process, the CPUC received five letters of protest and 81 letters of support for Waymo’s expansion plans. This decision comes amid increasing public scrutiny of robotaxi services following accidents involving Waymo and its competitor General Motors’ Cruise.

In February, a Waymo robotaxi was vandalized and set on fire during Chinese New Year celebrations in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Prior to that, another Waymo vehicle was involved in a collision with a cyclist at a city intersection.

Additionally, Waymo recalled 444 self-driving vehicles last month due to a software error that could lead to inaccurate predictions of a towed vehicle’s movement.

Despite these challenges, Waymo’s expansion into Los Angeles and San Francisco demonstrates the company’s commitment to advancing autonomous transportation.

However, it also underscores the need for continued collaboration between regulators, communities, and autonomous vehicle companies to address safety concerns and ensure responsible deployment of driverless technology.