Articles by Michael Liedtke

AP Technology Writer

Two Rival Robotaxi Services OK’d to Operate Throughout San Francisco

California regulators approved an expansion that will allow two rival robotaxi services to operate throughout San Francisco at all hours, despite safety worries spurred by recurring problems with unexpected stops and other erratic behavior that resulted in unmanned vehicles blocking …

Jury Awards $3.2M to Ex-Tesla Worker in California for Racial Abuse Suit

A federal jury has awarded nearly $3.2 million in damages to a Black former worker at a Tesla factory in California that has been at the epicenter of racial discrimination allegations hanging over the automaker run by billionaire Elon Musk. …

California Utility’s Criminal Probation Ending Amid Ongoing Safety Worries

Pacific Gas & Electric is poised to emerge from five years of criminal probation, despite worries that nation’s largest utility remains too dangerous to trust after years of devastation from wildfires ignited by its outdated equipment and neglectful management. The …

Following Years of Deadly Wildfires, PG&E Again Vows to Do Better

The nation’s largest utility has long vowed to change its reckless ways, but year after year there’s more death and destruction from Northern California wildfires sparked by Pacific Gas & Electric’s equipment. CEO Patricia “Patti” Poppe, who took over in …

PG&E to Pay $150M for Botched Outages, California Wildfires

Pacific Gas & Electric is getting hit with a nearly $150 million bill for neglect that caused Northern California wildfires during the past two years and mismanagement of blackouts designed to prevent the utility’s crumbling power grid from causing more …

PG&E to Pay $43.4M in 3 California Counties Burned by Fraying Grid

Pacific Gas & Electric will pay $43.4 million to government agencies in three Northern California counties to cover bills left behind from wildfires ignited during the past two years by the beleaguered utility’s long-neglected power grid. The settlements announced Wednesday …

Automakers Support Guidelines for Advertising Partially Automated Vehicles

DETROIT —The trade association representing most major automakers is offering guidelines for manufacturers to advertise partially automated driving systems and to make sure drivers are paying attention while using them. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation says its members support the …

Judge Considering Requiring PG&E in California to Turn off Power More Often

A federal judge overseeing Pacific Gas & Electric’s criminal probation said Tuesday that he is considering requiring the utility to be more aggressive about turning off its electricity lines near tall trees, a plan that could double the number of …

As States Ease Mask Rules, Essential Workers Worry About Safety and Jobs

Leo Carney worries that bigger crowds and mask-less diners could endanger workers at the Biloxi, Mississippi, seafood restaurant where he manages the kitchen. Maribel Cornejo, who earns $9.85 an hour as a McDonald’s cook in Houston, can’t afford to get …

Google Paying $2.6M to Settle California, Washington Discrimination Case

Google will pay $2.6 million to more than 5,500 employees and past job applicants to resolve allegations that the internet giant discriminated against female engineers and Asians in California and Washington state. The settlement announced Monday closes a 4-year-old case …