First experience with a Waymo self driving taxi

[Vercingetorix]

The novelty is a big part of it, plus it's actually safer than human drivers. And after experiencing the average lyft driver in LA, I'd definitely spend a bit more for the waymo. And it's largely still in development/beta so it's limited in scope.


I feel like you're really reaching if your "gotcha" is "can it handle weather situations that your average human driver can't properly handle either"

The average human driver doesn’t get to cherry pick their driving conditions and driving areas like Waymo does. Trying to say it’s safer than human drivers is a fallacy. You are trying to compare the driving population at large with those who were properly trained and don’t drink and drive, smoke dope and play video games driving 30 mph over the speed limit in their clapped out 1994 Toyota Crapola.

 

[dogememe]

I’ve taken Waymos and love it. But as a Tesla fan I can’t wait to try their Robotaxi when they make it here! Either way, I’d much rather be driven be a computer than a human. I kinda love computers and I kinda hate humans!

 

[JeffKeryk]

The average human driver doesn’t get to cherry pick their driving conditions and driving areas like Waymo does. Trying to say it’s safer than human drivers is a fallacy. You are trying to compare the driving population at large with those who were properly trained and don’t drink and drive, smoke dope and play video games driving 30 mph over the speed limit in their clapped out 1994 Toyota Crapola.

The vast majority of driving is our day-to-day routine. Aren't most accidents withing 10 miles from home, or something like that?
Is that so different than Waymo?

 

[JWC86]

I’m not surprised that these are safer than humans but I’m not ready for this yet, hard no.

 

[CKN]

Waymo feels like it drives like an actual person. The one I was in would creep at stoplights, especially while turning. CV-based systems like Tesla FSD are obviously inferior, and the last time I tried FSD, didn't feel much better than glorified lane assist, often mis-reading lane markers and road signs.

That said, I won't be paying for one myself any time soon. They just add to congestion, take jobs away from people, and frankly we don't need even more cameras recording everything we're doing outside.

There are already a ton of cameras in public. A few more is no big deal. I'd rather deal with automation than a cab driver that speaks no English and has body odor-because where they come from they don't wear deodorant.

 

[scrllock]

There are already a ton of cameras in public. A few more is no big deal. I'd rather deal with automation than a cab driver that speaks no English and has body odor-because where they come from they don't wear deodorant.

We should have even less.

 

[y_p_w]

Over the last couple of weeks I have been seeing them around city of Atlanta. Sometimes there's someone in the driver's seat.

I remember the early tests were in San Francisco where the terrain makes for a decent challenge for the software. But at the time they were required to have a human backup driver to take over if warranted. But these days it’s usually nobody.

I was kind of stuck a few days ago dealing with a double parked cargo van in most of the left lane on a one way street. I was doing my best but trying to get in the left lane waiting to make a left turn. A Waymo taxi kind of stopped behind me for a bit and then went around me on the right. But I could tell it had to figure out its next move.

 

[CKN]

We should have even less.

You have zero expectation of privacy in public. Walk in front of my house and my RING doorbell will see you. But I will only look (closer) if I have a reason to-and you walking down the sidewalk isn't one of them.

 

[Kruse]

I have over 100 rides in Waymos, the tech is great.

My daughter also lives in Phoenix, where Waymo has been in use for several years. Her experience has been mostly positive, but there have been a few glitches. What seems to be happening there is that other drives KNOW that the Waymo vehicle will yield to them. So the other drives will purposely make the Waymo drive yield to them...no matter what.
She had one experience where she took the Waymo to the a bar, but the car was unable to get her to her destination. The Waymo got about a block away and everyone else was cutting in front of the Waymo car. She called headquarters and told them of the situation and they just told her to get out of the Waymo vehicle and walk the rest of the way.