Researchers aim to reduce AV decision times to 20ms

The timeline for autonomous vehicles (AVs), particularly SAE Level 4 robotaxis, is becoming less certain as low ROI and safety concerns constrain progress.

In January 2023, city officials in San Francisco wrote to the California Public Utilities Commission in an effort to stymie the expansion of services offered by Waymo and Cruise. The complaints followed a handful of incidents throughout 2022, where AVs blocked the city’s traffic for hours and impeded emergency vehicles. The letter argued that maintaining carefully restricted operating zones offers “the best path toward public confidence in driving automation and industry success in San Francisco and beyond.”