The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has granted the company a Driverless Pilot permit, which allows it to pick up passengers in a test vehicle without a driver behind the wheel.Waymo told Engadget that it will begin offering free rides without a driver to select members of the public in the coming weeks.However, the company still has to secure a Driverless Deployment permit — the next step after this one — from the CPUC to be able to start doing so.The agency gave Cruise a deployment permit for robotaxis in June, almost a year after it was allowed to offer free rides to the public.Like Cruise, Waymo likely won't be allowed to operate its vehicles during times of heavy fog and rain when it gets its deployment permit."