10 ms·

Fantastic news. I use them all the time in Phoenix. My mom uses them to get to her doctor appointments. I think people underestimate how much of a quality of li

Fantastic news. I use them all the time in Phoenix. My mom uses them to get to her doctor appointments. I think people underestimate how much of a quality of life improvement these are for people even when compared to Uber/Lyft.

jseliger 3y ago
I use Waymo all the time in Phoenix and Scottsdale too, and it's great.
- afhjafh3883 3y ago
  Dumb question but does it have a person monitoring in the driver seat? Or are you the only one in the car?
  - bigmadshoe 3y ago
    You’re the only one in the car.
tempest_ 3y ago
> people underestimate how much of a quality of life improvement these are for people even when compared to Uber/Lyft I do underestimate it. What are quality of life improvements? Seems to be the same thing from a customer perspective. I guess if you are concerned for your safety from the uber driver it is an improvement but it is the only one that comes to mind.
- simplicitea 3y ago
  I was about to ask the same thing; I have a hard time seeing the ways it ends up a net gain when driving is still a decent job for a lot of people, and rideshare drivers keep to themselves anyways
  - ilaksh 3y ago
    You might find it easier to understand if you had lost a friend or loved-one in a car accident. Society will have to adapt to the advancements in AI and robotics. The status quo is not a good option because (globally) cars cause over a million fatalities each year and over 20 million injuries. Driving, riding, or walking near vehicles is one of the most dangerous activities in modern life. An extremely high percentage of deaths and injuries will be prevented as self-driving cars are deployed, since almost all accidents are due to human error.
  - deprecative 3y ago
    A car that can drive itself will always be the better option to the companies that can afford the market share. Nobody cares about how automation will remove jobs for folks. These things are important to note. Your opinion as a customer is secondary to the cost to the provider.
    - johnnyanmac 3y ago
      >Nobody cares about how automation will remove jobs for folks. no one cares until it happens to them. I guess that attitude is part of the reason why this will succeed in the end.
- NewJazz 3y ago
  Yeah that one comes to mind. Personal safety is often a factor influencing public transit decisions as well.
  - dangus 3y ago
    Private transit*. Uber and Waymo are private transit. Something to note is that actual public transit (buses and trains) has something like 10x fewer annual deaths than private vehicles, because fatal accidents almost never happen in them. Personal safety is a much less statistically relevant concern compared to personal injury.
    - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
      > Something to note is that actual public transit (buses and trains) has something like 10x fewer annual deaths than private vehicles, because fatal accidents almost never happen in them. I've never had a fent zombie wave a knife in my face on private transit, but it has happened a couple of times on public transit. I get that it is technically "safer", but we have a long way to go before normal people will feel safe on it (in the states, other countries obviously do this better by not allowing their buses and light rail to be turned into roving day centers).
      - dangus 3y ago
        Did you get injured or die? 30,000 people die of car crashes every year, about half resulting from a much more common and legal drug. How many people die of assaults on public transit every year? I’ll let you look that one up. Fear isn’t the same as risk. Lots of people are afraid of planes. Not a single passenger died of as a result of a commercial airline incident last year in the United States.
        seanmcdirmid 3y ago
        No I didn't die, but I wasn't happy either. Enough that I feel like I have more control over my fate if I drive. > Fear isn’t the same as risk. I don't think you've ever had a knife waved at you by a crazy person before. Don't be an idiot, if something looks really dangerous, it probably is. > How many people die of assaults on public transit every year? I’ll let you look that one up. The first one this year in our city was just 4 days ago. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/man-fatally-shot-on-light-rail-train-in-downtown-seattle/ https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/man-fa... That article also lists out recent violence on public transit in my city (like the guy hitting people with a hammer on the train). In comparison, 36 people were killed in car crashes in 2022, 28 in 2023.
- whimsicalism 3y ago
  Having a car to yourself is honestly just way better, maybe I'm just antisocial Like I will easily pay a premium to have self-driving most of the time. I can play my music on the speakers, I can work more comfortably in the car, etc. etc. Also, I find Uber drivers are pretty bad drivers often - comparative advantage
  - wnc3141 3y ago
    The incentive to race through traffic is felt from the back seat in my experience
  - dangus 3y ago
    Owning a car yourself is the most costly option, so I would hope that it is the “best.” Purchase price, depreciation, maintenance, insurance, fuel. Edit: to be clear I’m putting “best” in quotes because personal car ownership is pretty terrible in terms of value.
    - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
      You can't park your own car at the airport safely and economically for a two week trip.
      - johnnyanmac 3y ago
        yeah, That's the only time I really consider Uber, when doing long term travel and parking costs/risks outweigh the cost of a taxi.
    - andrewprock 3y ago
      If you pay a lot for parking or don't use the car much this tracks. But if you have the volume, then owning a car is cheaper. An affordable mid size car costs roughly $6k per year total cost for a new car, and about 2/3 that for a used car. If you commute daily to work, that is 500 trips per year. Two weekend trips adds another 100 per year. Now we are talking about ~$10/trip if you own your car. When you add the premium value you get from flexibility, then it's an even better deal. If you only drive 50x a year then yeah, just use services.
- JumpCrisscross 3y ago
  > What are quality of life improvements? Not having to tip. Having the car take a sensible route and not some idiotic detour Waze thought was clever. Having a car that’s always paying attention instead of being on a perpetual phone call. Being able to make phone calls without feeling obnoxious or worrying about one’s rating. Being in an objectively safer ride. Not having to listen to a rant about how the angel Mohamed saw was actually a demon because he was scared or get given a sermon about why being gay is evil. Not having drivers cancel on you because they don’t want to go where you need to.
  - NewJazz 3y ago
    You don't have to tip anywhere for any reason.
    - rufus_foreman 3y ago
      Can you respond to a reasonable interpretation of "don't have to tip"?
- dkjaudyeqooe 3y ago
  The big one: dealing with people, any people, sucks. Nothing is better than being able to go about your business without have to worry about social niceties and endless other tedious things associated with human beings.
- ra7 3y ago
  Just the safe driving alone is a big improvement. Every time I get into an Uber, I hope and pray the driver isn’t aggressive and erratic. You always know what you’re going to get with a Waymo. Plus, nice and clean Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. No person to talk to and no tipping.
  - hacker_newz 3y ago
    You trust an entity you can't interact with over a human being?
    - ra7 3y ago
      Having experienced Waymo’s driving, definitely.
    - _qua 3y ago
      Granted I've never been in a Waymo but I've definitely been picked up by Uber/Lyft drivers who were extremely erratic and likely drunk or high.
    - rajup 3y ago
      100%. Seeing the idiots we give driving licenses to these days, I’d pick the machine every single time.
    - gst 3y ago
      After a total of 41 Waymo rides so far: Yes, absolutely.
    - TulliusCicero 3y ago
      Have you seen human beings? Especially when they're driving?
    - __loam 3y ago
      You can call their customer support line if you have a problem.
    - zht 3y ago
      a car cannot rape me
- singleshot_ 3y ago
  I don’t need to be given a numeric rating by my chauffeur on how well I sit in the back of a car. The social play-acting part of ridesharing apps became exhausting to me (admittedly: an introvert) sometime during the first ride.
  - waych 3y ago
    Is it better to leave it to an AI algorithm watching you in the back of the car? One way or another passengers are going to get rated.
    - fiddlerwoaroof 3y ago
      Yeah, imagine losing your gmail account due to some automated system malfunctioning and simultaneously losing access to the transportation system you depend on.
    - singleshot_ 3y ago
      Of course, you are dead right. Thanks for thinking that situation all the way through, friend.
  - b112 3y ago
    [flagged]
    - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
      > love it... downvotes To be fair, this is why I flagged. From the guidelines: “Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading.” https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
      - johnnyanmac 3y ago
        Same here. Passive aggressive edits were the top 3 issues I had with Reddit before leaving some years ago. I'd rather suppress it here while I can.
- washywashy 3y ago
  Consistent driving and ride quality could be a benefit
- pokstad 3y ago
  George Hotz said it best: “self driving is already here, it’s called Uber”
- ericmcer 3y ago
  For now they are still just cars with no driver. Once they are fully trustworthy though, the interior of the car could be repurposed in some interesting ways. Take out all the driving controls, add a desk, move the climate/radio control to a central console, captains chairs. The possibilities are endless.
  - jmward01 3y ago
    I've been thinking exactly along these lines myself. I bet a lot of people are thinking that self-driving + electric will bring van life to a whole new level. It may become the reality that a large number of people actually, purposefully, live in self driving vehicles/homes since removing the 'car' part greatly improves the living part.
  - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
    I’ve wanted a lay-flat ride between San Francisco and the South Bay for ages.
    - SoftTalker 3y ago
      Crash safety and the need for seatbelts will limit what can be done with the interior. There won't be any lay-flat seating.
      - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
        > won't be any lay-flat seating If crash rates go down, and you have a flat surface that you’re strapped onto that is angled and has an airbag-like system to ensure as many G’s as eyeballs in or out, sure we could.
        olelele 3y ago
        As far as my imagination goes any efficient seatbelts for a person lying down will be very painful in even a small incident if the passenger has a scrotum.
  - 3y ago
- csharpminor 3y ago
  It’s one of those experiences you didn’t realize you wanted until you have it. - No need for chit chat, you can just work / talk on the phone / play music - No 18-hour shift sweat and deodorant smell - No cursing at other drivers or awkward apologies because of fear of a bad rating - Smooth, predictable driving. I have yet to have a “holy shit” moment in a Waymo, but this happens regularly in Uber / Lyft. Also on safety, about 50% of the population has to worry a lot more about being abducted/hit on/stalked/etc. Uber and Lyft know this and have gone to great lengths to recruit female drivers, set up safety hotlines, etc. Not having to worry about the driver is a big deal.
  - johnnyanmac 3y ago
    IDK, It just sounds like some people have bad experiences and is using negativity bias to justify early tech (and ofc a skewed audience who seems to abhor socialties). All my uber rides were boring and uneventful. I see no need to pay a premium to guarantee that. Meanwhile the driving experience of autonomous drivers is still not at a satisfactory stage for me. Maybe it worked fine in SF, but LA has some pretty rough, unmaintained roads to navigate.
    - akira2501 3y ago
      > and ofc a skewed audience who seems to abhor socialties At the same time every other story involves a horror over "going to dinner." They apparently don't abhor socialities, they just abhor having to be in the presence of the "lower caste."
    - mahkeiro 3y ago
      In my previous job I took 1000s of taxis all over Europe getting all kind of experience (including getting in an accident with a drunk taxi driver). Uber are an improvement that removed a lot of shady things but riding a Waymo in Phoenix is for me the best experience as there is almost no unknown.
- sbuttgereit 3y ago
  I've used Waymo a couple of times now and absolutely find the experience superior. As mentioned, the driving is sane... with other taxi and taxi-like services that can be hit or miss. But it's more than that. When I get in taxi I can't help feel like I'm invading the driver's space in some way. The awkward conversations, the awkward silences, the music I'd never choose to listen to on my own, and that list goes on along similar lines; not to mention that many drivers feel like they have to engage in one way or another order to get a decent gratuity I feel more like I'm continuing to be "sold" something after the ride starts. It's just not pleasant. In a Waymo, I don't feel any of that. I put something I want to listen to on the sound system or just enjoy the ride. Sure, I know there is staff somewhere watching me, but that doesn't bother me nearly so much as being in an incidental, albeit fleeting, social relationship with someone I might not otherwise chose to engage with. So yes. A self-driving car is my first choice if my pickup/dropoff allows it.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
- _acco 3y ago
  - Safety: My gf much prefers to Uber/Lyft at night. - Consistency: You know what you're getting. - Privacy: Especially nice when traveling with a group. - Instant pick-up estimate: It can take a while to find a driver with Uber/Lyft, and often the initial estimate is not fulfilled. While Waymo times are generally higher, you know before you press the button what the exact wait time will be.
- SeanAnderson 3y ago
  A recent Uber driver of mine encountered bay bridge traffic, said, "I know a shortcut!" and veered out of the line waiting to enter the bridge. Then, Uber Safety called my phone asking if everything was alright. Then, the driver realized he didn't know where I was trying to go, asked me, realized I needed to go to Oakland, and spent 10+ minutes going in a slow circle to get back to the line of traffic. A few drives later, I had a group dinner reservation at a restaurant downtown. I'm not a big sports person and I didn't realize I was asking to go downtown on the Saturday before the Super Bowl. Uber told me I had to wait 4 minutes for pickup, but that turned into a 20+ minute wait as driver after driver canceled on me when they saw where I was asking to go. I had to text all of the guests and apologize for being late to my own reservation. A few drives later, I had a long conversation with a gay driver who recently fled from Iraq because his sexual identity wasn't respected there. I'm a mid-thirties, single male. The first question the driver asked me when I got in the car was if I had a family. I said no. Then he asked if I had a girlfriend. I said no. Then he slowly engaged with me in conversation for 10 minutes trying to figure out if I was a potential date for him and had trouble understanding that while I fully supported his sexual identity that that didn't mean I was an opportunity for connection. Last weekend, as I was espousing the benefits of Waymo to a friend, they called an Uber while we were heading down from a restaurant at the top of an elevator. When we got down to the bottom floor, he was dismayed. Someone else had gotten into the Uber, the driver didn't check names, and they were now travelling on his dime. Surely it's not that hard to envision the scenarios in which an autonomous driver might be desirable?
  - barbazoo 3y ago
    > A few drives later, I had a long conversation with a gay driver who recently fled from Iraq because his sexual identity wasn't respected there... Avoiding talking to humans altogether is one thing but couldn't we also just say "sorry I don't feel like chatting" or something like that?
    - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
      > couldn't we also just say "sorry I don't feel like chatting" I’ve been hit on by a few Uber drivers. (Early thirties guy.) They stop talking then forget after two seconds. Unfortunately, the person who crosses the first boundary isn’t deterred by the second. That said, I do appreciate the chutzpah of the driver who tried to invite himself to my date for a threesome.
- crawshaw 3y ago
  Safety is the most important point across all customers. But as someone who is less concerned with safety, I still get enormous value out of Waymo. Let me try to explain: Consider the distribution of Uber/Lyft drivers you have had. All the way from smooth driving, well-maintained car, through to erratic behavior and unpleasant environment. Imagine if the next time you got a driver you really like, you said "this driver only from now on" and that was the consistent experience you always got out of Uber/Lyft. That is what Waymo is like. It is the same every time I get in. I do not have to think or adapt to a new environment. It is like sitting on my own couch at home.
  - s17n 3y ago
    That's because the cars are all brand new Jaguars that are impeccably maintained. If Waymo succeeds in becoming a widely used service that is price competitive with Uber, the experience won't be this good forever.
    - crawshaw 3y ago
      This fancy a vehicle? Maybe not, though I don't see why they wouldn't maintain a premium brand of some sort. More importantly: the fleet is owned and maintained by Waymo. So they can achieve a higher degree of consistency. It is not the fanciness I value, it is the consistency. Put another way: I can get a fancy car and a good driver with Uber Black. I would rate my waymo experience slightly above Uber Black.
      - s17n 3y ago
        Yeah, Uber used to just be what Uber Black is now, if you remember. I'm sure that both the consistency but moreso the average quality of Waymo will eventually decline (although the experience will of course always be more consistent than Uber). They aren't going to maintain a premium brand because they have billions of dollars of engineering costs that they need to amortize over the biggest possible pool of revenue.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- AlbertCory 3y ago
  I think the "improvement" is that it ought to be cheaper. Whether it actually is remains to be seen. Some people, like his mother, can't drive anymore. They might be encouraged to stay in the homes they're used to, instead of moving to assisted living.
- ugh123 3y ago
  > Seems to be the same thing from a customer perspective. Have you never been "forced" to talk to an Uber driver? :)
  - fragmede 3y ago
    Have you accepted Jesus into your life yet?
- unshavedyak 3y ago
  When i was in florida at Orlando, my wife and i experienced several of the worst Uber/Lyft drivers i can imagine. We're talking regularly breaking the law while driving, drivers. My wife also regularly encounters drivers she is uncomfortable around. In general i'd vastly prefer a non-human experience.
- __loam 3y ago
  Super minor but I've gotten sick in ubers like 3 times in the past year from erratic driving. Has not been the case for waymos.
- iaseiadit 3y ago
  I usually have a good experience, but just in the last few weeks it’s been bad: - Driver started watching TikTok videos on his dashboard-mounted phone while driving - Driver going way over the speed limit in stormy weather - A driver was clearly sick, coughing and sniffling and sneezing the whole ride - Got in a car and it reeked of marijuana - Got in a car and it reeked of BO At this point I’d probably prefer a robot driver.
  - sowbug 3y ago
    Some of these will still happen, even in a self-driving car, because of prior passengers. In fact they might be more of a problem because passengers won't have another human in the car inhibiting their impolite or gross behavior. I look forward to Snow Crash's self-cleaning public restrooms.
    - NewJazz 3y ago
      Pretty sure you get filmed while you are in the car so smoking is going to be a challenge.
- bastawhiz 3y ago
  It makes me super anxious when drivers run stop signs, drive in the shoulder, or perform other maneuvers that I'd never perform while driving myself. Knowing I'm in a car with no risk of an accident due to knowingly breaking the law would bring me a great deal of peace.
- maximus-decimus 3y ago
  Today my Uber driver wore so much cologne it made me wanna puke after a 5 minutes ride. The other day, one tried to convert me to his religious group.
  - Solvency 3y ago
    I can't even buy fruit from a certain grocery store because some kid there must were cologne. The fruit absolutely reeks of it. Waymo cars will be no different. All it takes is one Armenian guy visiting Glendale slathered in cologne to nuke one of those cars permanently for all time.
    - popcalc 3y ago
      https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Armenian%20shower https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Armenian%20s...
- derwiki 3y ago
  Yea, rideshare drivers are aggressive to the point of making me feel unsafe. I’d rather have granny Waymo drive me around.
sixothree 3y ago
How does the pricing compare?
- fragmede 3y ago
  Varies. Sometimes it's lower, sometimes it's about the same, sometimes it's higher for some reason. It really just depends.
- okdood64 3y ago
  I've found it to be 10-15% more expensive for local SF rides than Uber/Lyft.
Solvency 3y ago
I feel like no one in this thread lives in LA. This is going to be an absolute catastrophe. Driving out here is like Thunderdome. There is zero way in hell I'd ever trust some Waymo car to make some insane left turn across 6 lanes of rush hour traffic out here, let alone the freeway.
- hn_throwaway_99 3y ago
  > There is zero way in hell I'd ever trust some Waymo car to make some insane left turn across 6 lanes of rush hour traffic out here, let alone the freeway. This quote highlights why I would trust it more. I have been an Uber that essentially tried to make that turn, and it was insane. I'm hoping Waymo would be smart enough to try alternate routes (that said, I've had Google Maps route me in West Hollywood going across major boulevards without a light during rush hour, which is basically impossible).
  - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
    > I have been an Uber that essentially tried to make that turn, and it was insane This announcement makes me more willing to travel to LA for work.
- cdogl 3y ago
  As someone who doesn’t live in LA: I can’t imagine what your freeways are like given your characterisation of an ordinary road. Our “freeways” max out at 4-5 lanes each way. From what I can tell, getting from A to B is a stressful full time job for the people of your good city.
- OkayPhysicist 3y ago
  I see it as a trial by fire. If Waymo can handle LA, it can handle anywhere (that doesn't have awful weather).
  - fragmede 3y ago
    One step at a time. Computers are already better than humans in terms of braking with ABS brakes. Driving in awful weather conditions is just a matter of sensors - as a human I can't see in the dark, but IR sensors can. Same for snow. Something with radar on different frequencies than visible light can see through snow and do better than humans can.
bagels 3y ago
How is it better than Uber/Lyft?

jseliger 3y ago

I use Waymo all the time in Phoenix and Scottsdale too, and it's great.

afhjafh3883 3y ago
Dumb question but does it have a person monitoring in the driver seat? Or are you the only one in the car?
- bigmadshoe 3y ago
  You’re the only one in the car.

tempest_ 3y ago

> people underestimate how much of a quality of life improvement these are for people even when compared to Uber/Lyft I do underestimate it. What are quality of life improvements? Seems to be the same thing from a customer perspective. I guess if you are concerned for your safety from the uber driver it is an improvement but it is the only one that comes to mind.

simplicitea 3y ago
I was about to ask the same thing; I have a hard time seeing the ways it ends up a net gain when driving is still a decent job for a lot of people, and rideshare drivers keep to themselves anyways
- ilaksh 3y ago
  You might find it easier to understand if you had lost a friend or loved-one in a car accident. Society will have to adapt to the advancements in AI and robotics. The status quo is not a good option because (globally) cars cause over a million fatalities each year and over 20 million injuries. Driving, riding, or walking near vehicles is one of the most dangerous activities in modern life. An extremely high percentage of deaths and injuries will be prevented as self-driving cars are deployed, since almost all accidents are due to human error.
- deprecative 3y ago
  A car that can drive itself will always be the better option to the companies that can afford the market share. Nobody cares about how automation will remove jobs for folks. These things are important to note. Your opinion as a customer is secondary to the cost to the provider.
  - johnnyanmac 3y ago
    >Nobody cares about how automation will remove jobs for folks. no one cares until it happens to them. I guess that attitude is part of the reason why this will succeed in the end.
NewJazz 3y ago
Yeah that one comes to mind. Personal safety is often a factor influencing public transit decisions as well.
- dangus 3y ago
  Private transit*. Uber and Waymo are private transit. Something to note is that actual public transit (buses and trains) has something like 10x fewer annual deaths than private vehicles, because fatal accidents almost never happen in them. Personal safety is a much less statistically relevant concern compared to personal injury.
  - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
    > Something to note is that actual public transit (buses and trains) has something like 10x fewer annual deaths than private vehicles, because fatal accidents almost never happen in them. I've never had a fent zombie wave a knife in my face on private transit, but it has happened a couple of times on public transit. I get that it is technically "safer", but we have a long way to go before normal people will feel safe on it (in the states, other countries obviously do this better by not allowing their buses and light rail to be turned into roving day centers).
    - dangus 3y ago
      Did you get injured or die? 30,000 people die of car crashes every year, about half resulting from a much more common and legal drug. How many people die of assaults on public transit every year? I’ll let you look that one up. Fear isn’t the same as risk. Lots of people are afraid of planes. Not a single passenger died of as a result of a commercial airline incident last year in the United States.
      - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
        No I didn't die, but I wasn't happy either. Enough that I feel like I have more control over my fate if I drive. > Fear isn’t the same as risk. I don't think you've ever had a knife waved at you by a crazy person before. Don't be an idiot, if something looks really dangerous, it probably is. > How many people die of assaults on public transit every year? I’ll let you look that one up. The first one this year in our city was just 4 days ago. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/man-fatally-shot-on-light-rail-train-in-downtown-seattle/ https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/man-fa... That article also lists out recent violence on public transit in my city (like the guy hitting people with a hammer on the train). In comparison, 36 people were killed in car crashes in 2022, 28 in 2023.
whimsicalism 3y ago
Having a car to yourself is honestly just way better, maybe I'm just antisocial Like I will easily pay a premium to have self-driving most of the time. I can play my music on the speakers, I can work more comfortably in the car, etc. etc. Also, I find Uber drivers are pretty bad drivers often - comparative advantage
- wnc3141 3y ago
  The incentive to race through traffic is felt from the back seat in my experience
- dangus 3y ago
  Owning a car yourself is the most costly option, so I would hope that it is the “best.” Purchase price, depreciation, maintenance, insurance, fuel. Edit: to be clear I’m putting “best” in quotes because personal car ownership is pretty terrible in terms of value.
  - seanmcdirmid 3y ago
    You can't park your own car at the airport safely and economically for a two week trip.
    - johnnyanmac 3y ago
      yeah, That's the only time I really consider Uber, when doing long term travel and parking costs/risks outweigh the cost of a taxi.
  - andrewprock 3y ago
    If you pay a lot for parking or don't use the car much this tracks. But if you have the volume, then owning a car is cheaper. An affordable mid size car costs roughly $6k per year total cost for a new car, and about 2/3 that for a used car. If you commute daily to work, that is 500 trips per year. Two weekend trips adds another 100 per year. Now we are talking about ~$10/trip if you own your car. When you add the premium value you get from flexibility, then it's an even better deal. If you only drive 50x a year then yeah, just use services.
JumpCrisscross 3y ago
> What are quality of life improvements? Not having to tip. Having the car take a sensible route and not some idiotic detour Waze thought was clever. Having a car that’s always paying attention instead of being on a perpetual phone call. Being able to make phone calls without feeling obnoxious or worrying about one’s rating. Being in an objectively safer ride. Not having to listen to a rant about how the angel Mohamed saw was actually a demon because he was scared or get given a sermon about why being gay is evil. Not having drivers cancel on you because they don’t want to go where you need to.
- NewJazz 3y ago
  You don't have to tip anywhere for any reason.
  - rufus_foreman 3y ago
    Can you respond to a reasonable interpretation of "don't have to tip"?
dkjaudyeqooe 3y ago
The big one: dealing with people, any people, sucks. Nothing is better than being able to go about your business without have to worry about social niceties and endless other tedious things associated with human beings.
ra7 3y ago
Just the safe driving alone is a big improvement. Every time I get into an Uber, I hope and pray the driver isn’t aggressive and erratic. You always know what you’re going to get with a Waymo. Plus, nice and clean Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. No person to talk to and no tipping.
- hacker_newz 3y ago
  You trust an entity you can't interact with over a human being?
  - ra7 3y ago
    Having experienced Waymo’s driving, definitely.
  - _qua 3y ago
    Granted I've never been in a Waymo but I've definitely been picked up by Uber/Lyft drivers who were extremely erratic and likely drunk or high.
  - rajup 3y ago
    100%. Seeing the idiots we give driving licenses to these days, I’d pick the machine every single time.
  - gst 3y ago
    After a total of 41 Waymo rides so far: Yes, absolutely.
  - TulliusCicero 3y ago
    Have you seen human beings? Especially when they're driving?
  - __loam 3y ago
    You can call their customer support line if you have a problem.
  - zht 3y ago
    a car cannot rape me
singleshot_ 3y ago
I don’t need to be given a numeric rating by my chauffeur on how well I sit in the back of a car. The social play-acting part of ridesharing apps became exhausting to me (admittedly: an introvert) sometime during the first ride.
- waych 3y ago
  Is it better to leave it to an AI algorithm watching you in the back of the car? One way or another passengers are going to get rated.
  - fiddlerwoaroof 3y ago
    Yeah, imagine losing your gmail account due to some automated system malfunctioning and simultaneously losing access to the transportation system you depend on.
  - singleshot_ 3y ago
    Of course, you are dead right. Thanks for thinking that situation all the way through, friend.
- b112 3y ago
  [flagged]
  - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
    > love it... downvotes To be fair, this is why I flagged. From the guidelines: “Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading.” https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
    - johnnyanmac 3y ago
      Same here. Passive aggressive edits were the top 3 issues I had with Reddit before leaving some years ago. I'd rather suppress it here while I can.
washywashy 3y ago
Consistent driving and ride quality could be a benefit
pokstad 3y ago
George Hotz said it best: “self driving is already here, it’s called Uber”
ericmcer 3y ago
For now they are still just cars with no driver. Once they are fully trustworthy though, the interior of the car could be repurposed in some interesting ways. Take out all the driving controls, add a desk, move the climate/radio control to a central console, captains chairs. The possibilities are endless.
- jmward01 3y ago
  I've been thinking exactly along these lines myself. I bet a lot of people are thinking that self-driving + electric will bring van life to a whole new level. It may become the reality that a large number of people actually, purposefully, live in self driving vehicles/homes since removing the 'car' part greatly improves the living part.
- JumpCrisscross 3y ago
  I’ve wanted a lay-flat ride between San Francisco and the South Bay for ages.
  - SoftTalker 3y ago
    Crash safety and the need for seatbelts will limit what can be done with the interior. There won't be any lay-flat seating.
    - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
      > won't be any lay-flat seating If crash rates go down, and you have a flat surface that you’re strapped onto that is angled and has an airbag-like system to ensure as many G’s as eyeballs in or out, sure we could.
      - olelele 3y ago
        As far as my imagination goes any efficient seatbelts for a person lying down will be very painful in even a small incident if the passenger has a scrotum.
- 3y ago
csharpminor 3y ago
It’s one of those experiences you didn’t realize you wanted until you have it. - No need for chit chat, you can just work / talk on the phone / play music - No 18-hour shift sweat and deodorant smell - No cursing at other drivers or awkward apologies because of fear of a bad rating - Smooth, predictable driving. I have yet to have a “holy shit” moment in a Waymo, but this happens regularly in Uber / Lyft. Also on safety, about 50% of the population has to worry a lot more about being abducted/hit on/stalked/etc. Uber and Lyft know this and have gone to great lengths to recruit female drivers, set up safety hotlines, etc. Not having to worry about the driver is a big deal.
- johnnyanmac 3y ago
  IDK, It just sounds like some people have bad experiences and is using negativity bias to justify early tech (and ofc a skewed audience who seems to abhor socialties). All my uber rides were boring and uneventful. I see no need to pay a premium to guarantee that. Meanwhile the driving experience of autonomous drivers is still not at a satisfactory stage for me. Maybe it worked fine in SF, but LA has some pretty rough, unmaintained roads to navigate.
  - akira2501 3y ago
    > and ofc a skewed audience who seems to abhor socialties At the same time every other story involves a horror over "going to dinner." They apparently don't abhor socialities, they just abhor having to be in the presence of the "lower caste."
  - mahkeiro 3y ago
    In my previous job I took 1000s of taxis all over Europe getting all kind of experience (including getting in an accident with a drunk taxi driver). Uber are an improvement that removed a lot of shady things but riding a Waymo in Phoenix is for me the best experience as there is almost no unknown.
sbuttgereit 3y ago
I've used Waymo a couple of times now and absolutely find the experience superior. As mentioned, the driving is sane... with other taxi and taxi-like services that can be hit or miss. But it's more than that. When I get in taxi I can't help feel like I'm invading the driver's space in some way. The awkward conversations, the awkward silences, the music I'd never choose to listen to on my own, and that list goes on along similar lines; not to mention that many drivers feel like they have to engage in one way or another order to get a decent gratuity I feel more like I'm continuing to be "sold" something after the ride starts. It's just not pleasant. In a Waymo, I don't feel any of that. I put something I want to listen to on the sound system or just enjoy the ride. Sure, I know there is staff somewhere watching me, but that doesn't bother me nearly so much as being in an incidental, albeit fleeting, social relationship with someone I might not otherwise chose to engage with. So yes. A self-driving car is my first choice if my pickup/dropoff allows it.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
_acco 3y ago
- Safety: My gf much prefers to Uber/Lyft at night. - Consistency: You know what you're getting. - Privacy: Especially nice when traveling with a group. - Instant pick-up estimate: It can take a while to find a driver with Uber/Lyft, and often the initial estimate is not fulfilled. While Waymo times are generally higher, you know before you press the button what the exact wait time will be.
SeanAnderson 3y ago
A recent Uber driver of mine encountered bay bridge traffic, said, "I know a shortcut!" and veered out of the line waiting to enter the bridge. Then, Uber Safety called my phone asking if everything was alright. Then, the driver realized he didn't know where I was trying to go, asked me, realized I needed to go to Oakland, and spent 10+ minutes going in a slow circle to get back to the line of traffic. A few drives later, I had a group dinner reservation at a restaurant downtown. I'm not a big sports person and I didn't realize I was asking to go downtown on the Saturday before the Super Bowl. Uber told me I had to wait 4 minutes for pickup, but that turned into a 20+ minute wait as driver after driver canceled on me when they saw where I was asking to go. I had to text all of the guests and apologize for being late to my own reservation. A few drives later, I had a long conversation with a gay driver who recently fled from Iraq because his sexual identity wasn't respected there. I'm a mid-thirties, single male. The first question the driver asked me when I got in the car was if I had a family. I said no. Then he asked if I had a girlfriend. I said no. Then he slowly engaged with me in conversation for 10 minutes trying to figure out if I was a potential date for him and had trouble understanding that while I fully supported his sexual identity that that didn't mean I was an opportunity for connection. Last weekend, as I was espousing the benefits of Waymo to a friend, they called an Uber while we were heading down from a restaurant at the top of an elevator. When we got down to the bottom floor, he was dismayed. Someone else had gotten into the Uber, the driver didn't check names, and they were now travelling on his dime. Surely it's not that hard to envision the scenarios in which an autonomous driver might be desirable?
- barbazoo 3y ago
  > A few drives later, I had a long conversation with a gay driver who recently fled from Iraq because his sexual identity wasn't respected there... Avoiding talking to humans altogether is one thing but couldn't we also just say "sorry I don't feel like chatting" or something like that?
  - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
    > couldn't we also just say "sorry I don't feel like chatting" I’ve been hit on by a few Uber drivers. (Early thirties guy.) They stop talking then forget after two seconds. Unfortunately, the person who crosses the first boundary isn’t deterred by the second. That said, I do appreciate the chutzpah of the driver who tried to invite himself to my date for a threesome.
crawshaw 3y ago
Safety is the most important point across all customers. But as someone who is less concerned with safety, I still get enormous value out of Waymo. Let me try to explain: Consider the distribution of Uber/Lyft drivers you have had. All the way from smooth driving, well-maintained car, through to erratic behavior and unpleasant environment. Imagine if the next time you got a driver you really like, you said "this driver only from now on" and that was the consistent experience you always got out of Uber/Lyft. That is what Waymo is like. It is the same every time I get in. I do not have to think or adapt to a new environment. It is like sitting on my own couch at home.
- s17n 3y ago
  That's because the cars are all brand new Jaguars that are impeccably maintained. If Waymo succeeds in becoming a widely used service that is price competitive with Uber, the experience won't be this good forever.
  - crawshaw 3y ago
    This fancy a vehicle? Maybe not, though I don't see why they wouldn't maintain a premium brand of some sort. More importantly: the fleet is owned and maintained by Waymo. So they can achieve a higher degree of consistency. It is not the fanciness I value, it is the consistency. Put another way: I can get a fancy car and a good driver with Uber Black. I would rate my waymo experience slightly above Uber Black.
    - s17n 3y ago
      Yeah, Uber used to just be what Uber Black is now, if you remember. I'm sure that both the consistency but moreso the average quality of Waymo will eventually decline (although the experience will of course always be more consistent than Uber). They aren't going to maintain a premium brand because they have billions of dollars of engineering costs that they need to amortize over the biggest possible pool of revenue.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
AlbertCory 3y ago
I think the "improvement" is that it ought to be cheaper. Whether it actually is remains to be seen. Some people, like his mother, can't drive anymore. They might be encouraged to stay in the homes they're used to, instead of moving to assisted living.
ugh123 3y ago
> Seems to be the same thing from a customer perspective. Have you never been "forced" to talk to an Uber driver? :)
- fragmede 3y ago
  Have you accepted Jesus into your life yet?
unshavedyak 3y ago
When i was in florida at Orlando, my wife and i experienced several of the worst Uber/Lyft drivers i can imagine. We're talking regularly breaking the law while driving, drivers. My wife also regularly encounters drivers she is uncomfortable around. In general i'd vastly prefer a non-human experience.
__loam 3y ago
Super minor but I've gotten sick in ubers like 3 times in the past year from erratic driving. Has not been the case for waymos.
iaseiadit 3y ago
I usually have a good experience, but just in the last few weeks it’s been bad: - Driver started watching TikTok videos on his dashboard-mounted phone while driving - Driver going way over the speed limit in stormy weather - A driver was clearly sick, coughing and sniffling and sneezing the whole ride - Got in a car and it reeked of marijuana - Got in a car and it reeked of BO At this point I’d probably prefer a robot driver.
- sowbug 3y ago
  Some of these will still happen, even in a self-driving car, because of prior passengers. In fact they might be more of a problem because passengers won't have another human in the car inhibiting their impolite or gross behavior. I look forward to Snow Crash's self-cleaning public restrooms.
  - NewJazz 3y ago
    Pretty sure you get filmed while you are in the car so smoking is going to be a challenge.
bastawhiz 3y ago
It makes me super anxious when drivers run stop signs, drive in the shoulder, or perform other maneuvers that I'd never perform while driving myself. Knowing I'm in a car with no risk of an accident due to knowingly breaking the law would bring me a great deal of peace.
maximus-decimus 3y ago
Today my Uber driver wore so much cologne it made me wanna puke after a 5 minutes ride. The other day, one tried to convert me to his religious group.
- Solvency 3y ago
  I can't even buy fruit from a certain grocery store because some kid there must were cologne. The fruit absolutely reeks of it. Waymo cars will be no different. All it takes is one Armenian guy visiting Glendale slathered in cologne to nuke one of those cars permanently for all time.
  - popcalc 3y ago
    https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Armenian%20shower https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Armenian%20s...
derwiki 3y ago
Yea, rideshare drivers are aggressive to the point of making me feel unsafe. I’d rather have granny Waymo drive me around.

sixothree 3y ago

How does the pricing compare?

fragmede 3y ago
Varies. Sometimes it's lower, sometimes it's about the same, sometimes it's higher for some reason. It really just depends.
okdood64 3y ago
I've found it to be 10-15% more expensive for local SF rides than Uber/Lyft.

Solvency 3y ago

I feel like no one in this thread lives in LA. This is going to be an absolute catastrophe. Driving out here is like Thunderdome. There is zero way in hell I'd ever trust some Waymo car to make some insane left turn across 6 lanes of rush hour traffic out here, let alone the freeway.

hn_throwaway_99 3y ago
> There is zero way in hell I'd ever trust some Waymo car to make some insane left turn across 6 lanes of rush hour traffic out here, let alone the freeway. This quote highlights why I would trust it more. I have been an Uber that essentially tried to make that turn, and it was insane. I'm hoping Waymo would be smart enough to try alternate routes (that said, I've had Google Maps route me in West Hollywood going across major boulevards without a light during rush hour, which is basically impossible).
- JumpCrisscross 3y ago
  > I have been an Uber that essentially tried to make that turn, and it was insane This announcement makes me more willing to travel to LA for work.
cdogl 3y ago
As someone who doesn’t live in LA: I can’t imagine what your freeways are like given your characterisation of an ordinary road. Our “freeways” max out at 4-5 lanes each way. From what I can tell, getting from A to B is a stressful full time job for the people of your good city.
OkayPhysicist 3y ago
I see it as a trial by fire. If Waymo can handle LA, it can handle anywhere (that doesn't have awful weather).
- fragmede 3y ago
  One step at a time. Computers are already better than humans in terms of braking with ABS brakes. Driving in awful weather conditions is just a matter of sensors - as a human I can't see in the dark, but IR sensors can. Same for snow. Something with radar on different frequencies than visible light can see through snow and do better than humans can.

bagels 3y ago

How is it better than Uber/Lyft?