[A777R]

For some context, Waymo started as Google’s self-driving car project and is now a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. They’re one of the leaders in autonomous driving and currently run robotaxi services in cities like Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. As of October 2024, they’re offering 150,000 paid rides per week, with more than 1 million miles driven every week.

Here’s what stood out to me on my first Waymo ride in San Francisco:

1. The booking process is almost identical to using Uber or Lyft. But one cool feature is that when you're tracking your ride, the app shows whether the car is waiting at a traffic light or moving. It gives you a little more transparency about where the car is in real-time.

2. When the car arrives, you unlock it through the app. The vehicle was a Jaguar I-PACE EV, which was actually my first time seeing a Jaguar used as a taxi in the U.S. It felt pretty premium for a robotaxi. Although all the LIDAR and camera equipment makes the car looks like something that is still a prototype and not a finished product.

3. Once you’re in, the rear passenger screen reminds you to buckle up and keeps pinging until you do. The screens also show your estimated arrival time, and you can switch up the music if you’re not a fan of what’s playing. There’s also a "Pull Over" button in case you need to stop the ride early.

4. For someone who enjoys a quiet ride, the lack of a driver was definitely a perk. The car accelerated smoothly, and it felt like it was navigating through traffic just like a human driver would—without any jerky movements or hesitation. It was surprisingly natural, even in the narrow lanes and crowded streets of San Francisco.

5. The pricing was comparable to Uber and Lyft. Despite Waymo being in SF for a while, I still saw a bunch of people filming the driverless car when it pulled up. It seems like there’s still a lot of fascination around self-driving technology.

6. I was really excited to try it, but the experience ended up being pretty straightforward. If you’re comfortable with a machine doing the driving, there’s not much difference between riding in a Waymo and a regular Uber or Lyft. Honestly, that says a lot about how much progress has been made in autonomous driving tech. Waymo’s engineering makes the whole thing feel pretty seamless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yT0kI_94DWc

[PreludeSH]

Good for you to post the video. Should feel excited/anxious in terms of not having any control. Is there a kill switch or something for emergencies other than stop from app ?

I had seen it once in Phoenix. Waymo has been doing this for some time now. I wish Tesla with all the hype can do the same

[Sidban85]

We rode a Wayno from Golden Gate Bridge Visitor Center to Fisherman's Wharf in Sep 2024.

The one moment that stands out was how it made way for an emergency vehicle. This was in slow moving traffic where it immediately changed lanes. Shows that they may have audio sensors as well perhaps?

The other thing was how even on the steep inclines it was crawling perfectly in slow traffic.

Price was higher than normal Uber but worth the experience.

[GoBabyGo]

Hi, can someone please explain how this is different from the driverless taxi & mini buses of China.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by GoBabyGo

Hi, can someone please explain how this is different from the driverless taxi & mini buses of China.

AFAIK, it is the same thing. Only difference is that one is in China, the other is in USA.

[Joe367]

Originally Posted by PreludeSH

Good for you to post the video. Should feel excited/anxious in terms of not having any control. Is there a kill switch or something for emergencies other than stop from app?

I mean even in a regular UBER, we're at the mercy of the driver. People will be equally anxious if they don't know the driver.

Originally Posted by PreludeSH

I wish Tesla with all the hype can do the same

Tesla is hell bent on not using lidar sensors, they rely mostly on information from the camera. I doubt if they will be ever able to achieve this level of autonomous driving.

[kiku007]

Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by A777R

Waymo’s engineering makes the whole thing feel pretty seamless.

That's the part I liked too in my experience (Shared here, https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/inter...ml#post5867982 (The U.S.A: A must-do for automobile enthusiasts)).

It just worked without any major difference or drama.

Originally Posted by PreludeSH

Should feel excited/anxious in terms of not having any control. Is there a kill switch or something for emergencies other than stop from app ?

It felt safer than 9/10 Indian cab/Autorickshaw/Bus drivers who are literally Agents of the Grim Reaper.

I don't recall seeing any Emergency/Kill switch inside the car. The advice was to call Waymo Support or 911 in case of an emergency.

[McLaren Rulez]

Can you sit in the front seat? Also, can you physically grab the steering wheel and if yes, what happens?

[Sidban85]

Originally Posted by kiku007

Thanks for sharing.



That's the part I liked too in my experience (Shared here, https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/inter...ml#post5867982 (The U.S.A: A must-do for automobile enthusiasts)).

It just worked without any major difference or drama.



It felt safer than 9/10 Indian cab/Autorickshaw/Bus drivers who are literally Agents of the Grim Reaper.

I don't recall seeing any Emergency/Kill switch inside the car. The advice was to call Waymo Support or 911 in case of an emergency.

I remember there was an option to stop at Kerb on one of screens. We obviously did not try but assume it would have made the car go to kerb for passengers to get out.

There was also a way to contact the command center were one could probably speak to humans. Anyway, I think these can be taken over by human operators in emergency.

[A777R]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Can you sit in the front seat? Also, can you physically grab the steering wheel and if yes, what happens?

I also got such intrusive thoughts but did not want to risk getting banned from Waymo for life hence did not try anything lol.

But as per google, the moment you sit in the drivers seat or touch the steering wheel, the car pulls over. Overall the tech is designed in such a way that as soon as something unexpected happens, the car stops. Some people put a traffic cone on the hood and the car will just not move, so it always errs on the side of caution.

https://youtu.be/vLSYoWZRIo4?si=5Dze6kkkQJBoSqRb

[PZK]

We took our first few rides about 2 years ago in Chandler, AZ. It was amazing and we are fans ever since.

The access to front seats was completely blocked, they had a small box of wet wipes secured with seat belt on the front seat. Also, the small gap b/w the two front seats was blocked by a clear plastic sheet so that people don't interfere with the controls.


It became custom for us to give waymo rides for anyone who came to visit us. I could see the joy in their faces after the ride, just like a small kid who experienced a trampoline park for the first time- Scary and exciting at the same time.

Its taking 150,000 rides per week only constrained by the supply side. Cheaper cars(Hyundai), more supply, rising human confidence, economies of scale, partnership with Uber, etc will all lead to more cities getting Waymo's.


I have not seen a more futuristic photograph than this in recent days:
https://x.com/sundarpichai/status/1851367064151474517


PS: The rides are more expensive compared to Uber/Lyft, but you also don't have to tip a Waymo.

[sschivate]

I tried the Waymo ride last month, in Phoenix, AZ. It was amazing to watch how the sensors detected everything on the road - cars, trucks, pedestrians, cyclists, dogs!! You could even count the number of persons in a car 100m away from you.

The method to hail a cab is exactly the same as Uber, and it shows your name on a screen on the roof of the car, in addition to the number plate - useful when there were more Waymo cabs coming down the street.

An interesting aspect - for my daughter, the ride is safer than Uber at midnight, because there is no driver!!