Travel writer Jo Kessel straps herself into an empty driver’s seat for the ride of her life – in a robot taxi. Her video of the experience in San Francisco shows her hailing the taxi with a mobile app (similar to Uber) and the Jaguar arriving five minutes later… without a driver! The video shows the robotic action navigating roundabouts and intersections, dodging pedestrians, descending steep hills – and how strange it is to thank… no one at the end of the ride.
Self-driving cars used to be science fiction, but today they are reality.
It took 15 years and more than 20 million miles of testing to get there, but in August, Google-owned autonomous taxi company Waymo One was finally allowed to offer its service to the paying public in San Francisco. And even though I’m a terrible back seat driver – and not really a robot fan – I couldn’t wait to try it out and film the whole experience.
The video starts by clicking the Request button in the Waymo app. Nervousness and excitement builds as I am warned that the car is on its way and will arrive in five minutes. At first I see my vehicle approaching on the screen, but soon I can see it on the horizon, approaching with a turn signal buzzing on the roof and rotating sensors along the front and rear lights.
Travel writer Jo Kessel buckles up next to an empty driver’s seat for the ride of her life – in a robot taxi
It looks like a spaceship on wheels, but is actually an all-electric, customized white Jaguar I-Pace — one of 250 in Waymo’s fleet in San Francisco.
The car stops in a safe place – and I have to open the doors with the app.
Before I know it, I’m sitting next to the empty driver’s seat, my heart pounding in my throat and my seat belt fastened. The ride only starts when the passenger taps the “Start Ride” button on the dashboard, and that’s exactly what I do with some trepidation.
As we drive away, the car – or rather the dashboard – speaks and explains basic rules, so-called “driving tips”. It is said: “We drive everything.” Do not touch the steering wheel or pedals while driving.
Jo’s video of her experience in San Francisco shows her hailing the taxi with a mobile app (similar to Uber) and the Jaguar (above) arriving five minutes later – without a driver, of course
According to Jo’s video, to start the ride, the passenger must press the “Start” button on the dashboard
Jo is nervous as the taxi leaves
Being a passenger in an autonomous vehicle is exciting and nerve-wracking. Seeing the steering wheel turn without anyone sitting behind it is extremely surreal, especially when the car turns left for the first time.
Soon after, the Waymo reaches an intersection with no traffic lights. How will it handle? He hesitated a bit and crawled forward as soon as he was sure the coast was clear.
San Francisco is a notoriously hilly city and sometimes my journey feels like a roller coaster ride with lots of ups and downs and steep descents. There are fears. Will the car brake? How hard will it brake? What if someone is jaywalking?
It turns out that the car drives quite smoothly – smoother than most human drivers – and reliably stops at red lights.
And because Waymo cars are programmed not to exceed the speed limit (for me, the average speed is about 20 miles per hour), it always feels stable and safe. As for the brakes, the car does have foot pedals, but they are purely cosmetic and never move. But they definitely work and are especially impressive on steep slopes. While hitting a hill the car will roll backwards a bit, my Waymo car doesn’t, not even an ounce.
Jo writes: “The car seems to drive quite smoothly – smoother than most human drivers – and stops reliably at red lights.”
“Can things go downhill?” Jo asks in the video. “Yes, it is possible,” is the answer
A musical montage near the end of the film shows our route past another Waymo and a very cute dog. It also demonstrates the self-driving car’s capabilities as it drives through a roundabout and then changes lanes to avoid a double-parked car. But the funniest is the pedestrians’ reaction. You turn around, stare and do a double take as if the car is an A-list star.
By the end of the ride, I’m numb to the fact that I’m in a robot car and wish I could do it all over again.
That’s what I do.
I book a day later if I don’t want to walk home alone in the dark. Does this ride feel different from my day ride?
Actually yes!
Women can only feel vulnerable in a taxi with a male driver. It feels much safer to ride in the self-driving Waymo, which I hadn’t thought about before the ride.
“By the end of the ride, I’m numb to the fact that I’m in a robot car and wish I could do it all over again,” Jo writes. “Me too.” Above, you can see another Waymo car briefly chasing Jo’s taxi
“Women can only feel vulnerable in a taxi with a male driver,” writes Jo. “It feels much safer to be in the self-driving Waymo, something I didn’t think about until I drove.”
Even better is the fare: $24 (£19) for a 40-minute return trip. And at no additional cost, I can get out halfway and call another taxi when I’m ready to continue the trip. My overnight trip is cheaper: $10 (£8). And no tips are expected; You don’t even have the option to tip. The price already seems reasonable, but Waymo promises that prices will drop as it scales.
It’s strange that I have no one to thank at the end of the trip – my “thank you” to the car when I get out often falls on deaf ears.
But I would definitely want to drive Waymo again. Their driverless taxis are also available in Phoenix, Arizona and will soon be coming to both Los Angeles and Austin, Texas. Fancy a hands-free futuristic car ride? It is best to register now. It is so popular that there is currently a six month waiting list!
Sign up here to get on the waitlist – waymo.com/waitlist.
You can find more videos from Jo on her YouTube channel Go With Jo. www.youtube.com/@gowithjo1
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
