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Self-driving firms including Waymo and Pony.ai suspend car tests, robotaxi services on coronavirus fears
- Multiple companies have suspended autonomous car testing in the US, joining efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic
- Alphabet unit Waymo said it was temporarily suspending robotaxi services in Phoenix that require a backup driver, but fully automated services will continue
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Waymo, Cruise, Argo and Pony.ai have suspended autonomous car testing that involves backup drivers, as the self-driving firms join corporate America to try and contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Alphabet unit Waymo said on Tuesday it was temporarily suspending robotaxi services in Phoenix that require a backup driver, but added that fully automated services would continue.
Waymo added it was pausing self-driving tests in California, where 65 companies have active permits for autonomous tests with backup drivers.
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“The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has been in contact with AV testing permit holders and there is every indication that they are adhering to federal, state and local public health recommendations,” a spokesman for California’s DMV said.
General Motors unit Cruise said it had suspended operations and closed all San Francisco facilities for three weeks. The test operators will be fully-paid for any days they would have worked during this period, said Arden Hoffman, chief people officer at Cruise.
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