My First Waymo and My Last Uber (I Wish)

A Tale of Two Trips

While at a conference in San Francisco this weekend, I took the opportunity to go on my first drive in a fully autonomous vehicle. I downloaded the Waymo app, called the car, admired the Jaguar I-PACE as it pulled up to the curb with its spinning sensors, unlocked the car with the app, hopped in, and began driving up and down the city’s famous hills.

Other reviewers have mentioned feeling unnerved at the sight of the steering wheel moving on its own, but I was too busy looking back and forth out the windshield and then down at the computer-generated “view” of the car’s surroundings. It felt magical to see other cars, pedestrians, and bicycles appear on the screen and then watch the car adjust its path and pace to suit. Heck, it even correctly identified a person crossing the street with a suitcase!

After about 15 minutes, it pulled over at my destination; I didn’t stop smiling for at least another 15 minutes.

The next morning, my flight landed in Philadelphia during the early stages of a winter storm. As usual, I called an Uber to pick me up. The roads were slick with snow, but I can’t get to my home in central New Jersey by public transit, so the hour-long drive was my only option.

That hour was a nightmare. My driver (4.83 stars) consistently drove 10-20 miles over the speed limit, which would be dangerous enough even if the roads weren’t slick. He followed behind cars too closely, once slamming the brakes to avoid rear-ending a car during a traffic jam only to slide to within an inch or two of its bumper. Once past downtown Philly, he approached 90mph on I-95. He didn’t speak English so my requests to slow down had no discernible effect, and, worse, he’d look away from the road while trying to puzzle out what I was saying. Then he started dozing off and drifting into other lanes, jolting awake when I would say something to wake him up and hope he wouldn’t startle awake and swerve because of it. It was the most afraid for my life that I’ve been in several years.

Now, on a per mile basis, the Waymo trip cost between 30-50% more than the Uber ride. Reviewers have complained about this price gap, or harped on the fact that Waymo tends to take longer to get you to your destination because it drives more cautiously than a human. Don’t threaten me with a good time!

I suppose it’s technically true that, as one study bloodlessly put it:

“The current status of [autonomous vehicles] means that cost and time sensitive customers still choose rideshare. For the time being, AVs will not be the low cost solution to transportation companies initially promised."

Now, I’m as cheap a bastard as any, but I place a high enough valuation on my life that I would happily pay that premium and then some to avoid the risk of terror-by-Uber-driver again. The data backs up my intuition. What would you be willing pay to reduce your risk of being in an accident by half and your chance of being injured by three quarters?

Waymo is soon expanding to Atlanta, its first foray on the East Coast. I doubt central Jersey is at the top of their corporate To Do List, but I, for one, now eagerly look forward to its arrival.