DRIVERLESS VEHICLES WILL SOON be a more common sight in the West Valley as autonomous ride-sharing company Waymo expands into the region — leaving local officials grappling with concerns about safety and transit impacts.

Waymo will begin operating in West Valley cities such as Cupertino and Campbell in the coming weeks, as well as Willow Glen and Vista Park in San Jose. A spokesperson said the latest expansion covers approximately 60 square miles, bringing Waymo’s total Bay Area service area to more than 330 square miles. The company recently expanded its service area into the South Bay, including at San Jose Mineta International Airport.

“As San Jose and other cities prepare to host global events like the FIFA World Cup, the expanded footprint will also help both residents and visitors move around the city safely and efficiently,” spokesperson Sandy Karp told San José Spotlight.

Campbell Mayor Dan Furtado said the city manager is setting up a meeting with a Waymo representative for a later date.

“All I know is Waymo is planning to come, I only know what I’ve read in the news,” Furtado told San José Spotlight.

State regulators, not cities, oversee autonomous vehicle approvals in California, which means local governments have little authority over whether Waymo operates on their streets. Elected leaders in the West Valley said they see potential benefits in the technology, including safer driving behavior and improved transportation access. But they have also raised questions about accountability, public transit competition and how residents will respond as driverless cars enter smaller cities.

After meeting with a Waymo representative, Los Gatos Mayor Rob Moore said he was surprised to learn local municipalities have no authority over autonomous vehicle operations. The California Department of Motor Vehicles and California Public Utilities Commission handle all approvals.

Moore said Waymo previously told him Los Gatos could potentially see the company’s autonomous vehicles operating within the next several months. Some residents have expressed concerns about how autonomous vehicles could affect traffic safety in Los Gatos, particularly as the town already deals with complaints surrounding reckless e-bike riders. Still, he said he sees potential safety benefits in autonomous vehicle technology.

“I think the safety value proposition is undeniable,” Moore told San José Spotlight. “The autonomous vehicles, statistically, already are much safer than human drivers.”

At the same time, he said questions remain about liability and how communities would react if a serious collision involving a driverless vehicle happened in Los Gatos.

“I don’t know how a community like Los Gatos would react to that,” he said. “I don’t know how Waymo would respond in return. So I think there’s a lot of uncertainty.”

Cupertino Mayor Kitty Moore said city officials are also approaching Waymo cautiously as they wait to see how the technology performs on local streets. She said Waymo representatives told city officials the vehicles generally approach intersections slower than human drivers, particularly in situations where visibility may be blocked.

“We’ll need to observe and ensure that it’s safe,” she told San José Spotlight. “(Waymo) has let us know that they’re safer in their belief than a typical driver when they approach an intersection.”

Cupertino officials are already investing in alternatives to traditional public transit through the SV Hopper microtransit program, which offers low-cost shared rides throughout Cupertino and parts of Santa Clara.

Kitty Moore said she is watching closely to see whether Waymo could eventually compete with services like SV Hopper, particularly among older adults seeking private rides. The service offers shared rides for $3.50, or $1.75 for students and older adults, which are much cheaper than private ride-sharing services like Waymo.

In Los Gatos, Rob Moore said he hopes autonomous vehicles could eventually complement rather than replace public transportation options. He pointed to the nearby light rail station in Campbell, which some residents struggle to access without a car. He said Waymo could potentially serve as a “first mile, last mile” option to help riders connect to public transit.

“I’m really interested in the ways in which Waymo could, instead of hurting the public transportation system, instead be a value add,” he said.

Contact Maryanne Casas-Perez at maryanne@sanjosespotlight.com or @CasasPerezRed on X.

This story originally appeared in San José Spotlight.