Waymo
Steve and I were both excited to try Waymo, the robo-taxi that started out as Google’s self-driving car project. We had hoped to try it in Austin last year, but it was still in testing at the time. San Francisco, where Waymo has been available to riders for over a year, offered our first opportunity to try it.
Our neighborhood (SOMA in downtown San Francisco) is a popular testing ground for autonomous vehicles, and they are a common sight on our block. We also saw some boxy Zoox cars, Amazon’s version with two passenger benches and no driver’s seat (Steve calls them toasters) - but they were still in testing. Waymo was the only way to go.
Hailing a Waymo is a lot like using Uber or Lyft: just open the app, enter your destination, and select your vehicle. But when your Waymo arrives, things start to look and feel different - in a good way.
Find your Waymo. All Waymos are white Jaguar SUVs and look alike, but the roof dome on your Waymo will have an LED with your initials.
Board your Waymo. As you approach the car, the doors unlock and the inset handles pop out. A pleasant voice and an in-car screen greet you by name as you enter.
Start your ride. Take your time arranging your belongings and buckling your seat belt. When you’re ready to go, tap the button on the in-car screen.
Enjoy your ride. Use the in-car screen to select your music of choice and watch the progress of your trip. The electric car is quiet, except for the low hum of the remote sensors.
Leave your Waymo. As you approach your destination, the pleasant voice reminds you to gather your belongings and watch for other vehicles. Pull the door handle twice: once to unlock it, and again to open it.
Some of our friends say they would never want to ride in a self-driving car, but I always felt completely safe as a passenger with Waymo. Thanks to its cameras and LiDAR technology, Waymo has super-human powers: it has a 360-degree view of its surroundings and can sense all signals, safety cones, pedestrians, and other vehicles within a 500-meter radius, even at night!
By our third Waymo ride, the novelty had worn off. We now use Waymo regularly when it’s too far to walk or too complicated to use public transit or too late at night.
Pros
LED initials and auto-unlock ensure you enter the correct car
Interior is always clean and odor-free, with Jaguar styling and comfort
No need to ride with a stranger at night or in an unfamiliar place
Robot driver is always alert and silent (human drivers can be distracted, reckless, annoying, etc.)
Robot driver does not need or expect a tip
Cons
More expensive than Lyft and Uber (ChatGPT says Waymo fares are 30-40% higher, which matches my own experience)
If you normally enjoy chatting with your drivers, you may feel lonely
Service area is still limited - it can’t take you to San Francisco Airport (yet)
For us, it’s worth paying a premium for a reliably comfortable and safe ride. We look forward to the expansion of robo-taxi service to other cities.
