tour & taxis kantoor

Tour & Taxis

Vast inclusive and sustainable multipurpose site

Contact Hélène Van Elst

Avenue du Port 86C, 1000 Brussels

• Type Mixed usage
• Surface 33 ha
• Status Under development

More information about

Spectacular renovation of a historic local site to create an inclusive and sustainable multipurpose living space

A major urban redevelopment project in brussels.

Let’s start with a little history… The Tour & Taxis site was created in the 16th century when the von Thurn und Taxis family, which founded the European postal service, made it a gateway to Europe. At the turn of the 20th century, Tour & Taxis then became one of the world’s first multimodal goods transport platforms, integrating water, road and rail. The site subsequently fell into disuse in the post-war period, with the abolition of customs duties.

Nextensa therefore decided to offer this place steeped in history a new lease of life by harmoniously combining past and present to create a versatile, attractive and inclusive environment including housing, offices, shops,event areas, restaurants and public facilities. An extension covering nine hectares of an existing park is also planned.

Particular attention is paid to active mobility, mixity, the enhancement of heritage and sustainable development.

Nextensa aims to bring a modern and sustainable dimension to the historic buildings on this site, while respecting their authenticity and their architectural heritage. The result is the creation of an inspiring living space for the innovators of the future, while respecting the history and architectural heritage of the past.

The site, strategically located along the canal very near the historic centre of Brussels, contains several buildings that service a variety of purposes:

• Hôtel des Douanes (Offices)
• Sheds (Events)
• Gare Maritime (Mixed-use)
• Maison de la Poste (Conference and meeting centre)
• Entrepôt Royal (Mixed-use)
• Park Lane (Residential)
• Lakeside (Future residential project)
• Produits Dangereux (Events)
• Quai aux Poissons (Events & Bar)
• Atelier des Tracteurs (Food)
• Park (Entertainment)
• Herman Teirlinck (Flemish Community) - Sold
• BIM (Bruxelles Environnement) - Sold

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What exactly are you looking for ? FOOD OR DRINKS, Team Building, fun activities, coworking spaces... 

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Tour & Taxis’ sustainable reimagining in Brussels

Tour & Taxis, a former mail facility in Brussels, is reimagined as an eco-led, mixed-use quarter by Belgian developer Extensa and an array of leading architects

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In the early 16th century, the aristocratic family of Thurn und Taxis bought a 45-hectare parcel of marshy land on the then-outskirts of Brussels. They had been appointed postmasters by Philip the Fair, the Duke of Burgundy, and held a similar position for the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. Their acquisition would become the centre of Europe’s first international postal service, a Thurn und Taxis enterprise connecting the Spanish Netherlands, Burgundy and Spain with the rest of Europe. The road that crossed the site’s collection of industrial buildings and horse-feeding pastures took the family name, translated into French as Tour et Taxis, giving birth to the district of Tour & Taxis.

By the beginning of the 20th century, it had evolved into a busy logistical ecosystem; goods arrived via train and canal and from there, they were dispatched. Everything passed customs and registration at the Gare Maritime, the complex’s central station. Unfortunately, with the arrival of the EU Customs Union, and later the Schengen Area, customs gradually became irrelevant and the operation obsolete. Tour & Taxis remained disused for 20 years until it was bought by local private developer Extensa in 2001.

Since then, Tour & Taxis has been undergoing something of a reimagining, swapping logistical revolution for sustainability as it seeks to reinvent itself as an eco-friendly district. The area, situated by the Brussels canal and just to the north-west of the Belgian capital’s centre, currently mostly consists of large converted warehouses and offices of brick, iron and glass next to the magnificent, historic, castiron-frame freight station. Extensa’s vision is anchored in the refurbishment of the existing historic buildings to ‘return Brussels’ heritage’ to its inhabitants, as well as a few new-builds. The first renovations and completions started opening in 2005. The aim is to create an eco-led, mixed-use district by restoring as many existing buildings as possible and introducing renewable-energy and energy-saving technologies.

The district’s industrial heritage means that most of the existing buildings are characterised by large volumes, so are well suited to become event spaces and offices. One of the first buildings to open in 2005, the Sheds – a sawtooth storage warehouse designed in 1903 by Ernest Van Humbeeck and reimagined for Extensa by local studio Archi 2000 – has four event spaces, accommodating 10,000 guests each, while Maison de la Poste – a 1904 Frédéric Bruneel building renovated by architects Altiplan in 2019 – is now a conference centre consisting of 15 event spaces that showcase its carefully restored industrial architecture. There are galleries in the refreshed Hôtel des Douanes (a 1907 building also by Van Humbeeck) and more are to come, repurposing the remaining historic buildings in the area. Meanwhile, the few new-builds on site include offices by Neutelings Riedijk (a project that is currently the largest Passivhaus scheme in Belgium), Cepezed, and Samyn and Partners.

The district’s flagship building is the Gare Maritime, whose architectural works were completed in autumn 2020. The retail and food hall within are scheduled to launch in September 2021, marking an important landmark in the area’s redevelopment. At around 45,000 sq m, it was Europe’s largest freight train station at the beginning of the 20th century. The building has now been refreshed, and 12 new cross-laminated timber (CLT) pavilions have been added within.

Gare Maritime is the area’s commercial heart, housing hospitality, shops and offices. It has been carefully restored and redesigned by a team consisting of architects Neutelings Riedijk, Bureau Bouwtechniek and JDMA, and engineers Ney & Partners and Boydens. One of the key design drivers was adherence to the circular economy, salvaging existing materials but also making sure that all interventions are both light-touch and demountable. It boasts the largest CLT structure in Europe and the building is energy neutral. Gardens, designed by landscape architects Omgeving, help regulate the internal temperature and are watered using the rainwater harvesting system.

Additionally, the site uses geothermal heat and 17,200 sq m of photovoltaics on the roof, marking the biggest move to solar energy in the capital. The developers are even bringing a tram line to the area by creating a new bridge over the canal (the water created a barrier that had so far been an obstacle in bringing public transport to this part of town). This, and the fact that many of the streets in Tour & Taxis are pedestrianised, means car use will be discouraged, although there will be underground parking space.

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A number of apartment buildings are currently in construction. They are the start to what Kris Verhellen, Extensa’s CEO, hopes is a whole new residential neighbourhood, called Park Lane. Verhellen is acutely aware of the inevitable gentrification of the neighbouring area of Molenbeek, which has a sizable Maghrebi immigrant population. He talks about the scheme’s tax contribution and the state’s responsibility to create an economic system where immigrants aren’t priced out. While the scheme’s sustainability credentials are undeniable, one wonders whether more could be done to ensure links are created to existing communities.

It is true that some of the residential offerings will be rent-capped so that they remain affordable, while future plans include a school and a retirement home. A nine-hectare publicly accessible park, currently in construction, will include a community farm and a garden in an expanse of green that connects the site to the canal, making it one of the biggest parks in Brussels.

Do these interventions go deep enough into the fabric of the existing local community to engage them with the scheme in a meaningful way? Could more be done? One thing is for certain; if Tour & Taxis does deliver, it will provide a precedent of reuse and eco-friendly redevelopment that can be used in other historic settings. Which is exactly why it is important to ensure that social balance takes the same priority as environmental, as it has become increasingly clear that they are inseparable in the quest for sustainability.

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Tour&Taxis Maritime Station

Tour & Taxis is a place where past and present meet to create an exciting environment for all of Brussels to enjoy.

And inspiring place to live, work, play and relax

As the bustling heart of the Tour & Taxis neighbourhood, Gare Maritime mixes and matches co-creation-based businesses, a food hall, bars, food markets, terraces and unconventional shops. This extraordinary concept is definitely catalysing the neighbourhood. New hotspots and events are fostering a pioneering energy that got people wondering… is Gare Maritime becoming Brussels’ new prime lifestyle destination? We definitely believe it is!

Did you know that the Tour et Taxis family, who gave their name to the eponymous site, were the Italian-born family who became postmasters of the Holy Roman Empire and managed this network from Brussels for two centuries? 

TRACK program

TRACK is an experimental crossroad linking creation, education and performance in Brussels’ North station. An urban lab for research into shared and mixed space usage, new forms of collaboration and a creative economy that is social, circular and financially sustainable.

Botanique program

A former Jardin Botanique transformed into a cultural center in the heart of Brussels, Le Botanique is committed to promoting musical discoveries and the visual arts.

The Maximilien Park Farm activites

The Maximilien Park Farm is an urban animated farm that has been in existence since 1989.

An exhibition full of visual illusions at the World of Mind

The WOM, a confusing brain experience to enjoy in Tour & Taxis, a destination where you can cultivate yourself, eat and attend amazing events in Brussels.

The Pixel Museum program

Bigger, More fun, More interactive, More welcoming. They will continue to present, protect and conserve the great history of video games.

Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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• Preplanned tours
• Daytrips out of Moscow
• Themed tours
• Customized tours
• St. Petersburg

Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

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‘I thought I’d be a taxi driver for a long time’: Gary Wilson’s dream ride to Crucible

The ‘Tyneside Terror’ on his journey from child snooker prodigy to losing his tour card, before returning to the top at the Crucible

G ary Wilson was no longer folding crispy pancakes at the frozen food factory but he was a taxi driver when his long struggle to establish himself as one of the world’s best snooker players seemed an impossible dream. “That was the point where I started thinking: ‘It might never actually happen’,” Wilson says 13 years later. “I knew deep down it should and that, given the right circumstances, I would be good enough. But life doesn’t always work out as you want, does it? I was 25 and I thought I might be a taxi driver for a long time.”

There were times when Wilson was reduced to tears and, as he says, “generally, I’m not very emotional but that’s one area in my life where I’m very passionate. It’s my career and it’s been my dream for such a long time.”

We’re sitting in the deserted North Shields Snooker Centre, on the edge of Newcastle, and Wilson has spent an hour telling me his extraordinary back story as he prepares for the world championships which begin in Sheffield on Saturday. Wilson, 38, is the world No 10 and, having won two tournaments this season, he hopes to match or even better his finest performance at the Crucible. In the 2019 world championships he lost to Judd Trump, the eventual winner, in the semi-finals, and Wilson is a far better player now than he was then.

A child prodigy on the snooker table, Wilson was making century breaks at the age of nine and being interviewed by David Vine on television. But the transition to professionalism, at 18, was brutal. Wilson lost his tour card after his second year, in 2006, at a time when there were only six ranking tournaments.

For the next seven years he worked in a frozen food factory and as a taxi driver while dreaming of finding a way back into pro snooker. Wilson returned to an expanded tour in 2013 and now the “Tyneside Terror” is flourishing as one of the world’s best and most engaging players.

He started playing snooker on a miniature table at the age of four and when he was nine he was banned from some senior club matches because men from rival teams were not willing to lose to him. Wilson was already dreaming of becoming world champion. “Absolutely. My first memory of watching proper snooker was the world championship final with Jimmy White and Stephen Hendry in 1994 , which went to the wire. I was supporting Jimmy, but I respected Stephen more as a hero, because he’d done it all and dominated. I dreamt of what it would be like to win and be Stephen Hendry .”

Last month Hendry had Wilson on as a guest on his podcast and they shared fascinating insights into the yips which have stalked them at different times. It was a sign of how far Wilson has come since the crushing disappointment of losing his tour place.

“It was the second day of the 2006 world championship qualifying, and I had to win that match to stay on tour. It was 8-8 but I lost 10-8 to James Tatton who fluked the frame ball in both the last two frames.

“I was devastated as you couldn’t get straight back on the tour like now. I was 20 and the dream was over, definitely for the short term. I was still living with Mam and Dad and I needed a job. I wanted to play snooker but it was time for some real life.”

His mother worked at the Findus frozen foods factory in Longbenton, just outside Newcastle, and Wilson followed her. “I did the 6am to 2pm shift and so I was up at 5.20am every morning. I’m terrible getting up but my mam would be up at 5am. She’d get me up as she was leaving and I’d be on the road by twenty to six. The good thing was that I’d finish at 2 o’clock and, albeit a little tired, practise snooker in the afternoon.”

What did he do in the factory? “All sorts but, mainly, it was folding crispy pancakes. There were wraps as well. The machines would put the fillings in and I would be folding them and passing them on. It was monotonous work and, deep down, I was thinking: ‘This isn’t what I want to do.’ I’m grown-up enough to know that I need to earn a living but, at the same time, it was devastating. Other players I grew up with were doing OK on tour and I’m in the Findus factory, wrapping frozen food for two years.”

Wilson laughs when I say I bet he’s never eaten a crispy pancake since then. “No. I never ate them when I was there either but we had some laughs and I liked the staff nights out.”

At 23, Wilson changed jobs. “In June 2009 I began working as a taxi driver for a company called Blue Line. I did night work at the start but then I thought: ‘If I’m going to play snooker as well, I’d rather go out at six in the morning and finish at three in the afternoon so I can still practise.’ I could make £100 to £120 a day and I was doing five or six days a week while playing snooker in my spare time. I found a proper structure.”

Wilson liked being a freelance driver but there were the occasional passengers who dodged paying him or were sick in the back of his cab. “There was a bunch of Scottish lads at the barracks and they were coming into the city centre for a drink and they were absolutely hammered getting in the car. I turned to the one in the back on the left nearside and saw this purple stuff come out of his mouth. It was all over the seat and the inside of my door.

“I was like: ‘Right, I’m not being funny. We’re stopping at the cashpoint.’ It was the cashpoint next to St James’s Park, and I say: ‘You’re getting £100 out.’ It was 10 o’clock at night and I was planning on another four hours of work. So there was loss of earnings and, obviously, the cleaning of the car. I escorted him to the cash machine and thankfully, he put his card in and I took my £100.

“I went straight home and my mam got the cleaning stuff out and I tried to get the worst of it off. First thing in the morning I was straight down to get it valeted. I still lost the whole of that day because, even though it had been valeted, the smell lingered. So a hundred quid was not a lot. But I’ve got some fond memories of my taxi days and I did it for five years.”

Barry Hearn’s return to snooker promotion had transformed the tour and, by then, there were 25 tournaments. Wilson was around £10,000 in debt, having to travel and stay at qualifying tournaments, but the increased opportunities meant he had soon paid off the money he owed. “For the first three quarters of my first season back, I was still taxi driving. But I was getting closer and closer to the top 64 [in the world]. At the end of February 2014 I said to Blue Line: ‘I feel I’m doing well enough to go full time with the snooker. But if things don’t go according to plan would my job still be here?’ They said it would but, thankfully, I’ve not had to go back.”

There were still difficult days and Wilson remembers two specific occasions where he threw his cue in the dustbin and swore that he would never play again. “I was trying to qualify for the worlds at Ponds Forge and after I lost I came straight out and the cue got launched in the bin. I wasn’t putting on a show. I left it and walked up the road. But my dad was following and he picked it out of the bin. It happened another time, around 2016.”

Three years later Wilson made the semi-finals of the worlds after beating Luca Brecel, Mark Selby and Ali Carter before losing to Trump 17-11. “I didn’t play as well as I did earlier in the tournament. The table was heavier, drifting off more, and it got to me. With the fragilities of my cue action at the time, it was great when the tables were playing lovely. But when they weren’t as nice, it affected my game. I’m not blaming the conditions, it was more my fault.”

Last year Wilson lost in the second round to Selby who reached the final. But Brecel became the surprising world champion . The Belgian, who had never won a match at five previous world championships, was a rank outsider and he claimed not to have practised and, instead, said he drank heavily most nights during the tournament.

“I can’t believe it was to the extent he portrayed it,” Wilson says of Brecel. “Maybe he had a couple of drinks out every night. If you start having four, five drinks that’s going to affect you. But I do believe he was hardly practising and that he was going out and enjoying himself. I get that to an extent.”

Brecel has had limited success since becoming world champion and Wilson says: “Naturally he’s enjoyed his lifestyle. But maybe he’ll now think: ‘Let’s knuckle down again.’”

Did Brecel’s victory give Wilson and others on the fringe of the elite the belief that they, too, can become world champions? “He showed it can be done. But you don’t necessarily have to play your best game. You just have to play a good, solid game for a couple of weeks. Anyone near the top 16 knows it can be won.”

It took Wilson 18 years to win his first tournament – the 2022 Scottish Open. But this season he has won both the Scottish Open and the Welsh Open and, as he says with a smile on the eve of the world championships, “I’ve been told I might be a dark horse. I know if I play well I’ve got a chance of beating anyone. But it’s about playing well more times than not and that’s what I’m striving to do in every tournament. I want a bit more consistency.”

That pragmatic approach, forged in a frozen food factory and a taxi, has helped Wilson overcome doubts about his unusual cueing technique. The down-to-earth Tyneside Terror also remains, winningly, rooted in real life. “If I put my cue away now, I’ve got some money in the bank but it’s not going to last long. So you’ve got to remember that you’re doing something for a living that you’ve always loved and it’s a privilege to do so. I’ve always remembered where I’ve come from and what I’ve had and not had. I’m still pushing to have more, because you never know when it’s going to run dry.

“It’s a great season if you win a tournament and you stay in the top 16. I’ve won two this season and if I was to carry on like that every year then that’s a great, great career. You can’t guarantee it but, yeah, that’s the dream.”

• World Snooker Championship

Most viewed

Waymo will launch paid robotaxi service in Los Angeles on Wednesday

Tech startup Waymo said Tuesday that it would begin offering paid robotaxi rides in Los Angeles beginning Wednesday, as the nation’s experiment with self-driving car technology picks up steam. 

Waymo, a spinoff of Google, had announced details for its service in Los Angeles in January as it sought state regulatory approval and local support. Within the last year, Waymo has offered free "tour" rides in Los Angeles, and last month, it received regulatory approval to expand to a paid service, despite pushback from the Teamsters union and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Waymo previewed the project in a blog post in 2022.

Waymo said Tuesday that more than 50,000 people were on its waitlist to use the service. The company did not say how many users it would allow to fully use the app starting Wednesday. Last month, the company said it was starting with a Los Angeles fleet of fewer than 50 cars covering a 63-square-mile area from Santa Monica to downtown L.A. Los Angeles County has a population of 9.7 million people. 

The service works similarly to other ride-hailing smartphone apps such as Flywheel, Lyft and Uber, except that Waymo’s vehicles have no human drivers present. Riders follow instructions on the app and through the vehicle’s sound system, though Waymo workers can assist remotely. 

Robotaxis are getting more buzz as the technology advances in fits and starts. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Friday that Tesla would reveal a robotaxi product in August, though he gave no details. Cruise, a General Motors subsidiary that paused its robotaxi service last year after one of its vehicles failed to detect a pedestrian underneath it, said Tuesday that it would reintroduce human-driven vehicles in select cities, including Phoenix, as a step back toward driverless operations. 

Various China-based tech startups are also testing self-driving cars on California roads, drawing scrutiny from lawmakers. 

But for now, Waymo’s only competition is traditional, human-driven car services. 

Waymo’s expansion to Los Angeles will bring autonomous for-profit taxis to the nation’s second-largest city — and to a city long synonymous with car travel. Waymo already operates commercial robotaxi services in San Francisco and Phoenix. 

Chris Ludwick, Waymo’s product management director, called the Los Angeles move a milestone. 

“The reception from Angelenos so far has been exceptional, and we look forward to welcoming more riders into our service over time,” he said in a statement. 

Waymo said it informed its test riders about the change Monday in an email, which someone also posted to Reddit. 

Robotaxis have faced criticism on multiple fronts, from the threat they pose to drivers’ jobs to the mistakes they’ve made blocking city buses or emergency vehicles. Under California law, driverless cars can’t be given traffic tickets, and they could make traffic congestion worse . 

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation said the Waymo expansion was happening too soon, without enough local oversight of autonomous vehicle operations, but in an order last month state officials said that those concerns were unfounded. 

Supporters of robotaxis have countered that human drivers have a terrible safety record , with traffic deaths topping 40,000 a year in the U.S. Waymo has not reported a death or serious injury from its technology, and Waymo vehicles appear to be generally more observant of traffic laws than human drivers are, according to journalists who have ridden in them. 

In San Francisco, the futuristic nature of driverless vehicles has become a tourist attraction. 

Opponents of autonomous taxi expansions, including the Teamsters, have vowed to slow down the growth of companies such as Waymo. A bill pending in the California Senate would give cities and counties authority over robotaxi services — a power that currently resides with state government agencies. A hearing on that bill is scheduled for next week. 

David Ingram covers tech for NBC News.