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Waymo One is now open to everyone in San Francisco (waymo.com)

495 points by ra7 · 777 days ago · 623 comments on HN

Article summary

Waymo has opened its autonomous ride-hailing service, Waymo One, to everyone in San Francisco, allowing anyone to hail a ride using the app. The service has been operating in the city for years, providing safe and sustainable transportation to locals and visitors. Waymo's fleet is all-electric and sources 100% renewable energy, and the company claims its rides have helped curb carbon emissions by an estimated 570,000 kg. The service has also improved road safety, with the Waymo Driver avoiding high-severity collisions better than human drivers.

Main themes

  • Autonomous vehicles
  • Ride-hailing services
  • Sustainable transportation
  • Road safety
  • Technological innovation

What commenters say

  • The development of autonomous vehicles has progressed rapidly, with Waymo's service being a notable example of its potential for safe and efficient transportation.
  • Some commenters argue that Waymo's vehicles are not truly driverless, as they require remote assistance from human operators in certain situations.
  • Others counter that the term 'driverless' refers to the absence of a human driver in the vehicle, regardless of whether remote assistance is available.
  • The cost and feasibility of owning a vehicle that requires remote assistance are questioned, with some arguing that it would be prohibitively expensive for individual owners.
  • There is disagreement over the definition of 'autonomous' and 'driverless', with some arguing that true autonomy requires the ability to operate without any human intervention.
  • The potential for autonomous vehicles to improve road safety and reduce emissions is seen as a significant benefit by many commenters.
  • Some commenters express skepticism about the scalability of Waymo's model, citing the need for a large team of remote operators to assist the vehicles.
  • The comparison between Waymo's technology and human drivers is seen as unfair by some, who argue that the two are fundamentally different and should not be directly compared.