I tried Waymo in San Francisco, the driverless taxi trend taking off in the US

While the Golden Gate Bridge has its iconic allure, a spin around the block in an AI operated vehicle has become its own iconic San Francisco experience.

Having now taken a number of rides in a Waymo, the thrill of it still remains.

It offers a truly unique glimpse into the future, an experience unmatched anywhere else globally. The seatbelt fastened over the unoccupied driver's seat – a space where a human has sat all my life, is initially bizarre to see, but the precision with which the steering wheel twirls and adjusts, with that smooth, almost eerie accuracy, makes it indisputably a better driver than I'll ever be.

Once you relax (and you quickly will) you'll enjoy the freedom to blast any song you want – no asking the driver or small talk required. As you arrive at your destination, a gentle voice will remind you to gather your belongings, coinciding perfectly with the Waymo's precise pavement side stop. I give it no notes. 

As an Australian expat who has been living in San Francisco for a couple of months now, the ubiquity of gleaming white Jaguars, crowned with their distinctive rooftop spinning sensors and a vacant driver's seat, has become my new norm, quickly replacing my Uber app with the shiny new thing—Waymo.

Just look for the 'W' on top of the car.

Since late 2022, Google's autonomous vehicle arm, Waymo One, has significantly expanded its presence in San Francisco. What was once only accessible via a waitlist, with up to 80,000 people patiently awaiting an invitation code, is now a readily accessible commercial service with over 300 Waymo vehicles ready to chauffeur you around the city.  It is undoubtedly the best way to get around this compact city. 

How does Waymo work?

Signing up for Waymo is as easy as signing up for Uber, if not easier if you already have a Google account. Simply download the Waymo app and enter your information and payment details.  Just like other ride-sharing apps, you can track its arrival in real-time. It will also wait up to five minutes for you. I always feel bad making a real person wait, but a robot? Not so much. Once your ride arrives, you'll be prompted to unlock the door with a button on the app, and then you're ready to be taken to your destination – easy peasey!

Waymos will even wait for you for five minutes.

How much does a Waymo cost?

Waymo's pricing, like other ride-hailing services, is distance-based. While fares may be marginally higher than those of competitors like Uber and Lyft—often by a couple of dollars, based on my real-time comparisons—the unique experience of autonomous driving, including personalised music and climate control accessible via a touchscreen on the centre console, makes it better value than a standard Uber in my opinion.

Is Waymo safe?

I've had friends visit who were sceptical about being driven around by an AI robot—and I get it. Considering the mental agility needed to navigate driving, traffic, and other drivers' unpredictable actions, it's hard to relinquish control to a robot. However, one ride is often enough to dispel any initial concerns my friends have had about autonomous driving, as the safety of riding a Waymo is palpable. 

Even in San Francisco's famously hilly terrain, the rides I've taken are remarkably smooth. They’re notably smoother than my own driving, and certainly more so than the jerky experiences I’ve had with other ride-hailing services.

The Jaguar electric Waymo driverless taxi.

I’ve seen Waymo’s execute precise manoeuvres and navigate some rather tricky intersections. They also have the ability to anticipate and react to cyclists and other road users with a remarkable degree of predictability—all thanks to the spinning sensor anchored to its rooftop, which provides a 360-degree view of the environment, anticipating every movement around every corner, uninhibited by the blind spots and limited field of view of human vision.

They also stick to road rules to the letter, unlike the erratic behaviour of some human drivers, and meticulously maintain the speed limit – a driving instructor would pass them with flying colours.

So, while the initial thrill of a driverless car might eventually fade, in 2025 it has solidified itself as a must-do when visiting San Francisco. When we fully replace human drivers remains to be seen, but for now, as I navigate the hilly metropolis of San Francisco, I’m happy to let Waymo take the wheel.

Originally published as I tried Waymo in San Francisco, the driverless taxi trend taking off in the US