Public safety agencies are preparing for the arrival of driverless vehicles in the North Bay, though Waymo’s autonomous fleet may not make its appearance on local roadways anytime soon. The American Canyon Fire Protection District hosted a hands-on emergency response training July 22 in partnership with Waymo to familiarize first responders from Napa and Solano counties with the vehicles. Waymo is an autonomous transportation company owned by Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google. The company’s vehicles currently operate in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, Atlanta, Nashville, Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, allowing users to order rides via apps similar to Uber and Lyft. The self-driving cars have sparked controversy. With no drivers to hold accountable for dangerous or illegal maneuvers, skeptics have raised safety concerns about the service’s implementation in metropolitan areas. Nonetheless, the California Department of Motorized Vehicles approved Waymo’s expansion to the North Bay, East Bay and Sacramento in November. Nearly nine months later, Waymo officials say the company still has no immediate plan to expand to any North Bay counties, including Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma. American Canyon fire officials said they wanted to be proactive, however, and prepare for the eventual arrival of autonomous vehicles in the North Bay. “Waymo regularly trains first responders across the nation and has trained more than 35,000 emergency responders across the U.S. through our program,” Waymo spokesperson Sandy Karp said in an email. This hands-on demonstration was a general training from Waymo for area departments, said Laura Provencher, American Canyon Fire Protection District spokesperson. The presentation explained autonomous vehicle functionality, safety features built into Waymo vehicles and included training for approaching and disabling a vehicle’s autonomous mode if needed, said American Canyon Police Lt. Nicol Dudley. The training did not, however, include specifics about how