Waymo’s free driverless robotaxi rides are about to hit your streets!
Get ready, Los Angeles!! Starting Thursday, Alphabet’s Waymo is rolling out its Waymo One ride-hailing program in LA and other cities around San Francisco. Enterprising folks may get the chance for a free ride in a driverless taxi.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
The tech company has already received the green light from the California Public Utilities Commission and is gearing up to start offering its robotaxi services across 63 square miles, covering a stretch from Santa Monica to downtown LA.
Moreover, Waymo has a whopping 50,000 people lining up on their waitlist. They eagerly await their turns to hop into one of the company’s driverless cars. And to sweeten the deal, Waymo is even planning local events where they’ll be handing out temporary codes to eager riders.
What’s Next
Waymo is expected to progressively roll out its services in Los Angeles and eventually start charging for their driverless rides in the next few weeks. But the company isn’t stopping there. After launching in LA, Waymo plans to bring its Waymo One service to Austin, Texas, where employees are already enjoying the perks of the tech company’s autonomous ride-hailing program.
Later this year, the plan is to open up the service to the public.
Are you excited, terrified, or somewhere in between?