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Waymo cool! What it's like taking a driverless taxi

Clint HendersonPrincipal Spokesperson
Clint Henderson is a managing editor at TPG who has worked in the journalism industry for more than 25 years. He is obsessed with travel and has used points and miles to explore the world.

February 18, 2025 • 9 min read

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Quick summary

Driverless taxis are now available in select U.S. cities, with San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix among the main markets.
Waymo One is a leading autonomous vehicle service offering fully driverless rides, with an easy-to-use app similar to traditional ride-hailing platforms.
Rides can be slower and more expensive than traditional options, but offer a unique, futuristic experience with no tipping required.
The technology is still evolving, with occasional delays and navigation quirks, but overall provides a safe and novel way to travel.

What to consider

Waymo One currently operates in limited areas, including parts of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, with airport service only available in Phoenix.
Rides may be slower due to cautious driving and can be pricier than standard ride-hailing services, even with occasional discounts.
Availability is restricted to specific city zones and not all destinations, such as airports in some cities, are currently served.

What you'll miss from the article

Firsthand insights into the rider experience, app interface and practical tips for navigating the quirks of autonomous taxis.

Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.

The future is here — and on the streets of some major American cities. San Francisco has been allowing autonomous vehicles on its streets for years now, but fully driverless rides are a fairly new phenomenon. So I was eager to try out the driverless taxi service from the best-established company, Waymo One, on a recent trip to the City by the Bay.

When the Hyatt Regency Downtown SOMA offered me 25% off my first two rides just for downloading the Waymo One app, it was a no-brainer.

In short, it was fantastic. I highly recommend trying it next time you're in one of the few U.S. cities where driverless cars are already available.

What is Waymo One?

Waymo One is currently the market leader in driverless taxis, also known as autonomous vehicles or robotaxis. Google's parent company, Alphabet, owns it.

Various companies have been testing driverless cars for years in places like Las Vegas, Toronto, Pittsburgh and multiple California cities. However, the development and rollout have been plagued with accidents and some spectacular failures. Most recently, Cruise — a company that's majority owned by General Motors and was also offering rides in San Francisco — exited the business after a few horrific accidents. In October 2023, one of its robotaxis struck and injured a pedestrian.

Waymo is having better luck, though. It recently announced a major expansion in Los Angeles, with the service now available all over the city. It is also set to begin testing Waymos on LA-area freeways. Waymo also now serves a 315-square-mile area of Phoenix (including trips to the airport), and it's available in parts of Austin as well.

In San Francisco, the Jaguar Waymo vehicles are everywhere. In fact, that's why I first became curious about them. I couldn't believe how many were on the streets of the city: They've become tourist attractions in their own right.

Using the Waymo One app

The Waymo One app is fairly easy to use: You input your destination and confirm your current location just like you would on the Uber or Lyft app. Note that in the Bay Area, Waymo is only available in San Francisco and Daly City. You cannot yet take it to the airport.

I traveled from the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco's Union Square to the Castro neighborhood. On the way back, I came from near Mission Dolores Park back to Union Square.

It was a fairly straightforward process, but if you are in a hurry, you are better off taking a traditional ride-hailing service; the Waymos are very careful and can be a bit slow (safety first).

It's also not cheap. Even with the 25% discount, one ride was $17.50 and the other was more than $23. The good news? Since there is no driver, you definitely won't be tipping.

My rides on Waymo One

My Waymo One rides were like something out of a science fiction movie from my childhood. It is so fun to take a ride in a car that has no one sitting in the front. The door unlocked automatically, and when getting inside, I could see a large screen in the back seat prompting me to push the "Start ride" button.

waymo roof — CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

waymo interior — CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

Once I started the ride, not much happened for a while. As I was busy snapping photos, I could tell the car was stuck. It had pulled up behind a giant shuttle van type of vehicle that didn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. To me, it looked like it was parked illegally right in front of the hotel. The vehicle was very confused. After a few minutes of sitting there, a notification came on the screen saying, "Our team is working to get you moving." I assume the car's software was communicating with a central dispatch to come up with a solution.

After about a five-minute wait, the car decided to hit the road and did a sharp pullout into the busy Stockton Street. I was a bit surprised by some of the sudden moves the car made during the ride. In any case, we didn't have any more major roadblocks.

clint in waymo — CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

The car drove itself fairly well, much to my delight. I had fun exploring the screen in the back seat and tracking the trip's progress.

The car kept me up to date on approximately when we'd arrive and showed me objects in the car's path, like pedestrians and other cars. The technology is pretty cool. Soon enough, I was at my destination. I saw a couple get in just a few feet from where I got out on Castro Street.

My ride back to the hotel was more uneventful. It picked me up in a residential area and had me back to the hotel even faster (no traffic this time).

I was already getting used to the idea of a robot car whisking me around the city. Overall, I cannot recommend Waymo One highly enough. It was an exciting way to ride, and I can't wait to see it roll out to more cities (and pick me up from the airport someday soon).

What's ahead for Waymo One?

Zoox hybrid car test driving in San Francisco in December 2024. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

Waymo isn't the only ride in town. The Amazon-funded car company Zoox is testing its custom-built robotaxis in both San Francisco and Las Vegas. The boxy vehicles don't have steering wheels, and they are already being tested on the streets of one San Francisco neighborhood.

Zoox L5 Fully Autonomous, All-electric Robotaxi at Coit Tower San Francsico. ZOOX — Zoox L5 fully autonomous, all-electric robotaxi at Coit Tower in San Francisco. ZOOX

Zoox also has a fleet of Toyota Highlander hybrids testing software all over San Francisco.

Of course, Tesla has been promising self-driving taxis for many years. Friends of mine crow about the features of their Teslas, but the cars can't yet drive themselves safely.

Brian Goldbfarb showing off Tesla self-driving feature. — BRIAN GOLDFARB/THE POINTS GUY

With the demise of Cruise and the pullback from other companies, it will probably be a while before we see robotaxis in every city in America. But in the meantime, if you are in LA, San Francisco or Phoenix, definitely give the cars a try. I can't wait to see what they do next.

Related reading:

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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No foreign transaction fees
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Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
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Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

When the Hyatt Regency Downtown SOMA offered me 25% off my first two rides just for downloading the Waymo One app, it was a no-brainer.

In short, it was fantastic. I highly recommend trying it next time you're in one of the few U.S. cities where driverless cars are already available.

What is Waymo One?

Waymo One is currently the market leader in driverless taxis, also known as autonomous vehicles or robotaxis. Google's parent company, Alphabet, owns it.

Using the Waymo One app

I traveled from the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco's Union Square to the Castro neighborhood. On the way back, I came from near Mission Dolores Park back to Union Square.

It was a fairly straightforward process, but if you are in a hurry, you are better off taking a traditional ride-hailing service; the Waymos are very careful and can be a bit slow (safety first).

It's also not cheap. Even with the 25% discount, one ride was $17.50 and the other was more than $23. The good news? Since there is no driver, you definitely won't be tipping.

My rides on Waymo One

The car drove itself fairly well, much to my delight. I had fun exploring the screen in the back seat and tracking the trip's progress.

My ride back to the hotel was more uneventful. It picked me up in a residential area and had me back to the hotel even faster (no traffic this time).

What's ahead for Waymo One?

Zoox also has a fleet of Toyota Highlander hybrids testing software all over San Francisco.

Of course, Tesla has been promising self-driving taxis for many years. Friends of mine crow about the features of their Teslas, but the cars can't yet drive themselves safely.

Related reading:

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What is Waymo One?

Using the Waymo One app

My rides on Waymo One

What's ahead for Waymo One?

Comments

Comments

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TPG featured card

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

What is Waymo One?

Using the Waymo One app

My rides on Waymo One

What's ahead for Waymo One?

Comments

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card