Waymo Opens Its Robotaxi Service To All In San Francisco

Recently, Waymo announced that it had grown its operational space in Phoenix, Arizona, by expanding access to an additional 90 square miles of Metro Phoenix, which made the largest autonomous ride-hail territory in the United States even larger.

Now, the autonomous mobility leader has come forth with some more news, that’s set to boost its position as the top player in another US city – San Francisco – where it all started for the company way back in 2009 in the Bay Area.

So, what did the Google-spinoff-Alphabet-owned company reveal? Let’s explore! 
 

What Did Waymo Announce?

 

• “The wait is over. Starting today, anyone can hail a ride with Waymo in San Francisco. Rain, shine, or Karl the Fog, just download the app, and ride.”

• This is how Waymo began the blog post announcing that its robotaxi public transport service will now be open to everyone in San Francisco, operating 24/7 across the city.

• Essentially, anyone can request a ride to hail the services offered by Waymo's public transport driverless cars.

• The move follows a similar the company had made around four years ago in Phoenix, Arizona.

• Waymo has been testing its services in San Francisco since 2021, with a research-focused approach and has amassed nearly 300,000 wait listers.

• Currently, it offers similar services in Austin, Texas, where users can join a waitlist to avail its services, as well as Los Angeles, California, where the company is currently “onboarding riders”.

• So far, Waymo has completed tens of thousands of weekly trips, providing safe, sustainable and reliable transportation to the city’s locals and visitors.

• According to the company, 30% of rides are hailed to local businesses, connecting commuters to restaurants, live music venues, bars, coffee shops, ice cream parlors, parks, museums and more.

• Furthermore, a recent survey by the company found that half the riders used the Waymo One app to travel to medical appointments, while some even availed the service to “depart in style from their weddings.”

• “San Franciscans are using Waymo to connect to the city’s social fabric, making fully autonomous rides part of their daily lives.”

 

What Did Waymo Customers Say About Its Robotaxi Service?

 

• Charles Renfroe, Development Manager at Openhouse SF, said, “I enjoy riding in Waymo cars and appreciate the ease of transportation. Members of our community, especially transgender and gender non-conforming folks, don’t have to worry about being verbally assaulted or discriminated against when riding with Waymo.”

• Michelle Cusano, Executive Director at The Richmond Neighborhood Center, said, “I'm thankful to be living in a city that embraces technology when it can improve our lives with convenient and safe modes of transit.”

 

What Benefits Does Waymo Bring?

 

• Waymo’s fleet consists completely of electric vehicles (EVs) that use 100% renewable energy, sourced from the City’s CleanPowerSF program.

• As such, the company has helped reduce carbon emissions by approximately 570,000 kg, which has resulted in 53% of the company’s users in San Francisco feeling more environmentally friendly.

• The robotaxi service has also improved their sense of personal safety.

• With Waymo One’s app also supporting Chinese and Spanish, the company has ensured a more inclusive experience for a diverse group of riders.

• As Waymo has been safely transporting passengers for over six years across more than 50,000 rides a week across three major urban areas and has been a part of over 30 scientific papers, the company finds evidence that it has improved road safety.

• “The Waymo Driver avoids high-severity collisions better than even the most attentive human drivers, and the data shows that we have fewer insurance claims and injuries or police reports than human drivers.”

• Up of March 2024, “the Waymo Driver was involved in 17 fewer crashes with injuries and 12 fewer police-reportable crashes compared to human drivers.”

 

What Is Being Said About Waymo’s Benefits?

 

• Patricia Rillera, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) California State Executive Director, said, “Drunk driving remains the leading cause of fatalities and injuries on American roads, claiming over 13,000 lives in 2021 alone.”

• [Contd.] “As drivers increasingly drive while impaired, the need for technological intervention becomes evident.”

• [Contd.] “MADD proudly collaborates with autonomous vehicle leaders like Waymo, recognizing their potential to prevent tragedies caused by impaired, distracted, and drowsy driving.”

On the other hand, General Motors’ Cruise, which ran into regulatory problems causing it to halt its services and was eyeing a return to the robotaxi sector, announced that it has named a new CEO.

Former xBox founding engineer Marc Whitten will join the company from July 16, 2024, picking up the reins from the two co-presidents currently running the show, following its long-term leader, Kyle Vogt’s exit.

Do you think Cruise will be able to make a comeback or will this move by Waymo help it garner a better market share of the driverless robotaxi sector amid rising competition?

Let us know in the comments below!