Buckle Up: Experience The Thrill of Riding In A Driverless Taxi
San Francisco has always been a magnet for tourists, thanks to the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, historic cable cars, steep hills, and more.
However, the City by the Bay has a new attraction: It is one of the epicenters (along with Phoenix, Arizona) of driverless vehicles in the U.S., where residents and visitors can experience a ride in a driverless taxi.
Of course, San Francisco isn’t far from Silicon Valley, which has spawned many impressive technological advancements.
Riding in a Driverless Taxi: An As-Told-To First-Person Experience
Our neighbor recently returned from a business trip in the City by the Bay. An inveterate traveler, we asked her about the trip and were surprised by her answer.
“The best part was riding in a self-driving taxi,” she said.
She explained that she downloaded a Waymo App that allowed her to ride in driverless taxis from place to place and used it several times. She was so enthusiastic that I asked her to describe the experience and she also shared a video (below):
What did you like about the ride in the self-driving taxi?
It was a visceral experience. The power of search engines, AI, and other cutting-edge technologies is impressive, but this was a real experience, not a virtual one.
What was the pickup like?
Because all the driverless taxis essentially look the same, your initials light up on a screen atop the vehicle so you can spot the car when it arrives.
What is it like to ride in a taxi without a driver?
You unlock the door with your app.
No one sits in the driver’s seat, so my colleague and I took turns sitting in the right front and back seats on different rides.
Touchscreens on the dashboard and in the back show what you are approaching, including intersections, traffic tie-ups, and red lights. We had controls in front and back to adjust the AC or music.
We didn’t have to worry about talking or leaving a tip with the driver (or wearing a mask).
What are some other differences between a conventional taxi and a driverless one?
The pickup may take a few more minutes because driverless vehicles can’t park illegally. If there is no spot at your location, they park a short distance away and tell you where they are.
In a busy part of the city, you may need to walk five or ten minutes to catch the car.
Did you feel safe in the driverless taxi? Did you trust the self-driving technology?
Absolutely. Each taxi has far more hours of experience than human drivers and the cars keep learning.
The cars drive conservatively, slowing down and deferring to more aggressive drivers; they always wait for a safe moment. And unlike many taxi drivers, cell phones don’t distract autonomous vehicles.
The number of cameras varies by the type of driverless vehicle, but Waymo taxis currently have 13 cameras. All driverless cars have sensors to obtain a 3D picture of everything around them in all directions.
Other redundancies are built into autonomous cars, including the computer, steering, braking, and power system. If anything irregular happens during a drive, it is automatically reported to an operations center.
Is the price the same for a self-driving taxi?
The fare for a self-driving taxi is a bit higher, but since you don’t tip the Waymo, the cost is about the same.
How Travelers Can Experience the Waymo Self-Driving Car (formerly called the Google Self-Driving Car)
By the end of our conversation, our neighbor was encouraging us to book a trip to Phoenix to experience a driverless ride. (Phoenix is currently the driverless car location closest to our home.)
In addition to the San Francisco Bay area (where Waymo introduced driverless taxis in June 2024) and Metro Phoenix, Waymo also operates in Los Angeles and has announced that it will be coming to Austin.
Earlier this week, industry publication TravelPulse reported that Uber will integrate Cruise autonomous vehicles (a division of General Motors) into its platform in 2025. When customers use the Uber app, they will have the option of choosing an autonomous vehicle.
In June 2024, Cruise resumed operations in Phoenix, Houston, and Dallas after the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission investigated an accident in which a Cruise vehicle hit and dragged a pedestrian 20 feet in San Francisco.
Looking to the Future of Self-Driving Technology
Although you might have to book a vacation to experience a driverless taxi, the rapid evolution of autonomous vehicles signals a shift in the future of automobile travel.
Driverless technology is poised to offer a safer, more convenient, and ultimately transformative mode of transportation.
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