DETAILS:

Location: As of this post, Waymo operates in a limited area across Los Angeles (image of service area below)
Hours of Operation: 24/7.
Cost: Varies based on destination. However, when we did a cost comparison on Uber and Lyft for the exact same ride, Waymo was only a few dollars more, which doesn’t factor the tip you would typically leave on a Uber or Lyft ride.
Time Commitment: Varies with destination, but based on our rides, you may encounter somewhat slower travel times since Waymo operates at the speed limit at all times, unlike that crazy Lyft driver who might have a lead driving foot… which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
MISC:
- As of this post, when you initially sign up for Waymo, you will be put on a waitlist before you can utilize their service. I was on the waitlist for approximately a month before I got the notification that I was ready to ride.

Derived from the term; a new way forward in mobility, Waymo is one of the newest kids on the block in the rideshare market like competitors Uber and Lyft. But the one thing that completely sets Waymo apart from those stalwarts, AND every other car on the road, is that its entire fleet (utilizing fancy white Jaguars in the LA area, none-the-less!) are completely autonomous. Take a second to read that last part again, because this revolutionary concept and marvel of technology means that there is absolutely no one behind the wheel when you jump in for your scheduled ride. MIND BLOWN!

Waymo originated as a Google project in 2008 to test the viability of driverless vehicles and eventually became the first company to offer fully autonomous service in 2020. Following San Fransisco and Phoenix, Waymo began operating in Los Angeles in March of 2024, and will expand to Austin next. Considering that I’m a bit of a tech nerd... okay, okay, a huge tech nerd, I was completely fascinated and wanted to dip my toes in the Waymo experience posthaste. So it was a little discouraging to find out I was waitlisted upon signing up. Thankfully, that wait only lasted a few weeks before I got the notification that I was Waymo’s newest member. So I scheduled my first ride on the app (which works like every other rideshare app) and waited for my Waymo with equal amounts of excitement and apprehension. A few minutes later, my Waymo pulled up like a knight in shining white Jaguar armor. I have to admit, it’s a little disconcerting getting into the backseat of a car when you see that the driver’s seat is completely empty. And the thought “what the hell did I get myself into” definitely popped into my head as we began our ride. But that worry quickly dissipated after witnessing how smooth the drive was. Quite frankly, Waymo handled its wheel more elegantly that a few of my friends and family members who will go unnamed in this post.

You should know that I view any commute, even through the most beautiful countryside, simply as a necessary evil to reach a given destination. So its the highest praise when I tell you that I was having a complete blast during my Waymo excursion. I was able to listen to my own music, didn’t have to have an awkward and forced conversation with the driver or leave an obligatory tip, and amused myself to no end viewing all the stunned reactions from everyone who gazed at my driverless Waymo with awe. To say that I felt like I was on a Disneyland ride would be an understatement. Like everything else, I’m sure the novelty of Waymo will wear off once the technology becomes more commonplace, but you can consider me as a Waymo believer and will not hesitate to use Waymo again in the future, both as a functional tool to get from point A to point B, and as an experience in itself.