Waymo

[Rod Hagen]

I took 2 Waymo rides this weekend.  So cool.  So so weird.

 

[Becket]

I'd be scared to death. Damn car drives with no driver? It's the work of the devil.

[rvwnsd]

I took one several months ago. It was cool and weird all at the same time. The downside (which has been fixed) was the route the cars took. It seemed like they took Seventh Avenue to get everywhere in Central Phoenix. Want to go to 12th Street (1200 E)? Gonna head to 7th Street (700 W) first! You live on Third Street (300 E) and want to go six blocks due north? You will get there via 7th Avenue. That said, the cars are very nice (we have Jaguars here). I feel safe in them, as they piloted them and extensively tested them here in Phoenix.

Coming next week: testing of unmanned cars on the freeway. 

[Rod Hagen]

On 1/9/2024 at 11:34 PM, rvwnsd said:

I took one several months ago. It was cool and weird all at the same time. The downside (which has been fixed) was the route the cars took. It seemed like they took Seventh Avenue to get everywhere in Central Phoenix. Want to go to 12th Street (1200 E)? Gonna head to 7th Street (700 W) first! You live on Third Street (300 E) and want to go six blocks due north? You will get there via 7th Avenue. That said, the cars are very nice (we have Jaguars here). I feel safe in them, as they piloted them and extensively tested them here in Phoenix.

Coming next week: testing of unmanned cars on the freeway. 

They are Jags here in LA too (in test Trial).  I saw that they are hitting the Freeway down there.  Have fun!

 

[rvwnsd]

2 hours ago, Rod Hagen said:

They are Jags here in LA too (in test Trial).  I saw that they are hitting the Freeway down there.  Have fun!

 

I'm not ready to take Waymo on the freeway here. Several of ours are not up to Interstate standards and while I think it will be amusing to see how the cars handle the off ramp/on ramp combos and lanes that end only to resume several hundred feet away, I'd rather be amused from afar than experience it first-hand.

[rvwnsd]

On 1/6/2024 at 3:41 PM, Becket said:

I'd be scared to death. Damn car drives with no driver? It's the work of the devil.

Considering how most drivers drive, no driver might be an improvement.

[+ HeyDude]

I used Waymo in San Francisco on three occasions. By the third time, it felt like a driver in the car would be an anachronism and an intrusion on my privacy. 

[EZEtoGRU]

Just discovered this thread.  I was in Phoenix earlier this year to see Madonna.  Anyway, I had a rental car but kept seeing Waymo vehicles driving around completely empty...so no passenger inside.  It was so weird initially, but after the first day I was used to seeing it and really didn't pay attention.  Amazing how quickly one adjusts to new technology.  I would have no problem taking one on city streets but not ready to take one going on the freeway.

[rvwnsd]

14 hours ago, EZEtoGRU said:

Just discovered this thread.  I was in Phoenix earlier this year to see Madonna.  Anyway, I had a rental car but kept seeing Waymo vehicles driving around completely empty...so no passenger inside.  It was so weird initially, but after the first day I was used to seeing it and really didn't pay attention.  Amazing how quickly one adjusts to new technology.  I would have no problem taking one on city streets but not ready to take one going on the freeway.

Funny you mentioned Waymo cars without passengers, as I am seeing the same thing. There have been a few accidents involving Waymo vehicles, none on the freeway that I know of. That said, I've seen an increase in Waymo vehicles behaving strangely, such as a vehicle stopping in the middle of the street to pick someone up. They had designated pickup points for addresses. For example, at my building the pickup spot is across the street where there is a place to pull out of traffic. 

IMO, they need to give the vehicles a software update.

[Rod Hagen]

Saw a Waymo Van the other day

 

Visualizing Waymo's Rise in Ridership

WWW.VISUALCAPITALIST.COM

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Waymo’s rapid growth in robotaxi ridership comes amid a broader acceleration in autonomous vehicle adoption.

 

[rvwnsd]

Thanks, @Rod Hagen, for posting this. It gave me a memory jog to post about my experience taking Waymo to and from the airport. It was heavenly! No driver getting lost or cursing out people for blocking their way. The car arrived, I got in, and away we went. Dropped me off at the designated Waymo drop-off point. Similar thing going home. The only oddity was the navigation took the vehicle on a back route to exit the airport. My guess is the typical route (not direct by any means - Sky Harbor has the goofiest roadways) was backed up so it took the scenic route. Still, no BS or drama. Just a ride home.