{"id":33611,"date":"2024-11-04T16:15:33","date_gmt":"2024-11-04T20:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=33611"},"modified":"2024-11-04T16:15:33","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T20:15:33","slug":"as-cruise-reboots-waymo-robotaxis-are-everywhere-in-frisco-heres-what-the-ride-is-like","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/as-cruise-reboots-waymo-robotaxis-are-everywhere-in-frisco-heres-what-the-ride-is-like","title":{"rendered":"As Cruise reboots, Waymo robotaxis are everywhere in Frisco. Here&#8217;s what the ride is like"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>San Francisco<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 General Motors Co.\u2019s Cruise autonomous ride-share service left \u2018Frisco last year\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/business\/autos\/2023\/11\/08\/gms-cruise-recalls-driverless-cars-after-pedestrian-dragged\/71502230007\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">after one of its driverless shuttles dragged a pedestrian<\/a>, but the void has been quickly filled by Google\u2019s Waymo One, which now dominates the city&#8217;s robotaxi market.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/10\/28\/PDTN\/75903249007-waymo-san-fran-hotelarrives.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"538\" height=\"303\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>A Waymo One Jaguar iPace arrives to pick up Detroit News auto critic Henry Payne across from his hotel in San Francisco.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Waymo\u2019s headless Jaguar iPace crossovers are ubiquitous across the city, and I hailed multiple rides on a recent visit. The white Jaguars have become another bucket-list item in this tourist-friendly city filled with destinations like the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street and Ghirardelli Square.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">In a metropolis at the hub of the electronics revolution, robocars fit in with Tesla Cybertrucks, hotel delivery robots and electric scooters. While Waymo and Zoox have also tested here for years, GM\u2019s Cruise was the first to implement a driverless, app-based service in June 2022. Putting its controversial tenure behind it, Cruise is back testing again and its driverless Chevy Bolts\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/business\/autos\/general-motors\/2024\/09\/19\/gms-cruise-returns-to-bay-area-a-year-after-robotaxi-pedestrian-crash\/75295383007\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">are expected to return soon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">It will return to an autonomous landscape that is changing fast.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cIt feels like Waymo is part of the culture here,\u201d said Elan Levin, 37, an early Cruise adopter who is a regular Waymo One customer. \u201cInitially, autonomous cars felt weird . . . but now Waymo has opened their drives to all times of day. Waymo has eaten Cruise\u2019s lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-2-ac1\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Waymo launched its first driverless service in Tempe, Arizona, in 2020 and now services 315 square miles of Metro Phoenix. Armed with its Arizona learnings, Waymo\u2019s San Francisco operations (covering 55 square miles) have been trouble-free. Had Cruise\u2019s rollout gone more smoothly, it might be on the same track as Waymo today.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>I ordered a Waymo One at my hotel on a Tuesday in the growing Mission Bay district two blocks south of Oracle Park where the Giants play baseball. I had the Waymo app on my phone after multiple trips using the service in the Phoenix area.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>The app works like those for Uber or Lyft: set your destination, confirm your ride, wait for the car. Unlike Uber and Lyft, Waymo One is more discriminating about where it picks up\/drops off customers \u2014 avoiding tight spaces that human drivers can intuitively negotiate. For example, Waymo would not pick me up in my hotel\u2019s driveway. It asked to meet across the street.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/10\/28\/PDTN\/75903256007-waymo-san-fran-jagdriveby.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"543\" height=\"306\" \/><\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>A Waymo One Jaguar iPace hustles to pick up a customer in San Francisco.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>My destination? The San Francisco Cartoon Museum near Ghirardelli Square. Feeling peckish, I directed the Jaguar to an In-and-Out restaurant nearby \u2014 California\u2019s famed fast food burger joint. When in Rome . . .<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Waymo entered the San Francisco market in \u201818, testing self-driving electric vehicles on crowded city streets with technicians on board. I\u2019ve been a passenger in every iteration of Google\u2019s autonomous journey since its inception in 2014, when the company outfitted Lexus RX models with autonomous hardware. The Lexus gave way to the Google bot prototype in 2015 (immortalized by Oatmeal.com as the \u201cSkynet Marshmallow Bumper Bot\u201d). The service rebranded as Waymo in 2016,\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/opinion\/columnists\/henry-payne\/2022\/02\/26\/payne-rode-driverless-car-around-busy-city\/6924013001\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">outfitted an armada of Chrysler minivans<\/a>, and entered Metro Phoenix. I\u2019ve also experienced Tesla\u2019s Full Self-Driving software across the Bay Area.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-3-ac2\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"2\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">I hailed a GM Cruise Bolt in November 2022 \u2014 not long after it had begun public service.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cWaymos go to every corner of the city. Cruise only served a narrow slice of the city \u2014 and didn\u2019t go downtown,\u201d said Levin. \u201cWaymo even goes to Stonestown Galleria (mall) at the south end. They have the big Whole Foods market, which is where the people with cars go.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/10\/28\/PDTN\/75903275007-waymo-san-fran-roof.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"504\" height=\"284\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The Waymo One Jaguar iPace is a fancy ride with panoramic roof and always clean, always driverless interior.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>The Waymo One Jaguar iPace is a fancy ride with panoramic roof and always clean, always driverless interior.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Cruise\u2019s Bolt bots didn\u2019t receive approval to run 24\/7. In my \u201822 visit, I could only board a Cruise from 10 p.m.-5:30 a.m. Autonomous cars work best at night, when their sensors don\u2019t have to cope with sun glare, and the Cruise machines did a healthy business ferrying tipsy customers home from bars. But if it rained, the Cruises stopped, dumping customers on the street to hail an Uber.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Waymos are licensed to drive 24\/7 through rain, sleet or gloom of night.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/10\/28\/PDTN\/75903231007-waymo-san-fran-cpkpickup.jpg?width=335&amp;height=743&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The Waymo One app works mike similar Uber and Lyft rideshare apps.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>The Waymo One app works mike similar Uber and Lyft rideshare apps.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>My Waymo took 13 minutes to arrive at the curb \u2014 about three times as long as a comparable, human-driven Uber. In my four rides over two days, that disparity was consistent. Rates, however, were competitive. Indeed, my 35-minute ride to In-and-Out would cost $13.85, cheaper than the $20 Uber alternative.<\/em><\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-4-ac3\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"3\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>I hopped into the rear seat and an automated voice welcomed me. \u201cHey there, Henry!\u201d I pushed START RIDE in the rear console screen and we were off, the steering wheel spinning this way and that as we negotiated San Fran\u2019s complicated streets.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>The cabin was noticeably different than my previous Bolt and Waymo rides \u2014 or even the typical human-driven New York taxicab. No plexiglass shield separated me from the front compartment. Passengers may be buckled in anywhere but the driver\u2019s seat. The wheel is pasted with a PLEASE KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF THE WHEEL, THE WAYMO DRIVER IS IN CONTROL AT ALL TIMES. If sensors detect a violator, the car won\u2019t move.<\/em><\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/10\/28\/PDTN\/75903290007-waymo-san-fran-wheel.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The Waymo One Jaguar iPace warns passengers not to touch the wheel.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>The Waymo One Jaguar iPace warns passengers not to touch the wheel.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Waymo One employs about 300 vehicles in Frisco (700 vehicles nationally with Waymo targeting new markets in Austin, Texas, and Los Angeles). With its Bay Area volume, Waymo provides credible 24\/7 service to app-holders in downtown, Daly City, Broadmoor and Colma. When I rode Cruise two years ago, its smaller 80-model fleet limited app access.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Waymo One does not yet provide service to\/from San Francisco International Airport.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>After a burger and cartoons, I strolled up to Ghirardelli for sweets. Bags in hand, I ordered a Waymo to return to my hotel. A family of four ordered next to me, and both Jaguars arrived at the same time.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>On the 35-minute trek back, the iPace negotiated the city\u2019s complex roadscape. Scooters and motorbikes traveled alongside me in a designated lane. Families crossed with strollers. Human cars popped out of parking garages. The Waymos shared the road with remarkable deftness. On a two-lane street, my robot deftly shot the gap between traffic and a curbside dumpster to make a right turn on red.<\/em><\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/10\/28\/PDTN\/75903272007-waymo-san-fran-pedcross.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"486\" height=\"274\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"A pedestrian eyeballs the Waymo One Jaguar iPace at a crosswalk.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>A pedestrian eyeballs the Waymo One Jaguar iPace at a crosswalk.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The Jaguar bristled with hardware: 29 cameras, five lidar sensors, six radar sensors. Waymo began offering fully autonomous rides (without a trained human specialist behind the wheel) through its app to limited members of the public in San Francisco in November 2022. In August 2023 \u2014 over a year after Cruise opened its service \u2014 Waymo was authorized to charge for rides.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-5-ac4\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"4\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cAutonomous vehicles are going to be a slow rollout,\u201d said Stephanie Brinley, S&amp;P Global associate director of auto intelligence. \u201cWe estimate there will only be 230,000 units by 2034. It\u2019s important, but it\u2019s on a slow burn.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Waymo cut its teeth in Phoenix, offering rides to suburbanites on wide neighborhood streets. On San Francisco&#8217;s steep, narrow streets, a variety of customers flock to the service.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cIt\u2019s not just tech folks, it&#8217;s older folks,\u201d said Levin. \u201cSome of my senior neighbors are still in COVID lockdown mode and they feel safer when they go out in a Waymo and don\u2019t have to share the car with a strange driver.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>At 5 p.m. Wednesday, I booked a ride to California Pizza Kitchen, near Union Square at 3<sup>rd<\/sup>\u00a0and Stevenson about 25 minutes away. Wait time: five minutes. Cost: $15.02 during a busy Wednesday rush hour. I like CPK because I can bring my computer bag, spread out in a booth, and get work done while I eat.<\/em><\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/10\/28\/PDTN\/75903267007-waymo-san-fran-nighthandlesreadphone.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"513\" height=\"289\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"Door handles pop out on the Waymo One Jaguar iPace when the car detects a customer's phone app.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Door handles pop out on the Waymo One Jaguar iPace when the car detects a customer&#8217;s phone app.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Had I needed the trunk for a larger bag, it was available \u2014 an improvement over the Pacifica and Chevy Bolt shuttles with their hatchbacks off-limits due to computer equipment. Waymo has made strides in space management.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">As GM looks to return to San Francisco, it has\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/business\/autos\/general-motors\/2023\/11\/07\/gm-pause-production-cruise-origin-suspending-us-driverless-robotaxis\/71488071007\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">shelved its large Cruise Origin<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 a sort of autonomous trolley car on wheels \u2014 to focus on the Bolt hatchback.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-6-ac5\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"5\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cCruise made an early play, and they can recover from their problems,\u201d Brinley said. \u201cThe (pedestrian) accident was not the vehicle\u2019s fault, though Cruise management was not\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/business\/autos\/general-motors\/2024\/09\/30\/gms-cruise-fined-for-hiding-details-of-pedestrian-dragging-crash\/75458134007\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">as forthcoming<\/a>\u00a0as was needed. All these services are learning that coming into a new city is not as easily accomplished as envisioned. Waymo is ahead on consumer interaction, but people have short memories.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Robocar advancement has been relentless. My first autonomous Lexus ride was limited to Google\u2019s campus and required two engineers in the front seat. The 2015\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/opinion\/columnists\/henry-payne\/2015\/09\/29\/payne-driving-google-marshmallow-bumper-bot\/73061594\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Bumper Bot was driverless<\/a>\u00a0but limited to a rooftop Google parking lot. In \u201817,\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/business\/autos\/mobility\/2017\/09\/07\/self-driving-uber-pittsburgh\/105375396\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Uber\u2019s autonomous Volvo<\/a>\u00a0ventured out into Pittsburgh streets requiring two drivers in front. Waymo now covers two major western cities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The Jag never exceeded 25 mph. The next frontier is highway speeds on I-280 to the airport 14 miles south.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>With darkness blanketing the city at 6:39 p.m., I ordered another Waymo to return to my hotel. Wait time 11 minutes, cost $21.91. Stevenson Street was choked with traffic as the Jag\u2019s headlights slowly made their way towards me.<\/em><\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/10\/28\/PDTN\/75903264007-waymo-san-fran-music.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"497\" height=\"280\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"Customers can choose music in the Waymo One Jaguar iPace.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Customers can choose music in the Waymo One Jaguar iPace.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>The iPace swung around the corner and I heard the doors unlock \u2014 sensing my phone. Like my previous three rides, the interior was spotless, pleasant.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cIf I\u2019m in a hurry, I still take an Uber. But I feel safer in the Waymo,\u201d said customer Levin. \u201cWe know the problems with gig drivers working two and three shifts. With Waymo, I trust a billion dollars of technology. They truly feel much safer. I get into a real mixed bag of ride-share vehicles. With Waymo, I have never experienced a stinky vehicle. Never seen anything that wasn\u2019t supposed to be there.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-7-ac6\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"6\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Like the Cruise Bolt, the iPace has a screen in back with a variety of music stations on offer. \u201cPick a vibe for your ride\u201d said the display, offering choices including: Pop Top 40, Disney Hits, Kids Pop, and Bollywood. NPR was the only news station offered. Hey, it\u2019s the Left Coast.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cI bring my dog along with me,\u201d said Levin. \u201cIf I try that in an Uber, sometimes I get the hairy eyeball from the driver. The Waymo feels premium, and you can shut yourself off from the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>I was struck by how comfortable San Franciscans were with the cars. Few stared. At sidewalks, pedestrians checked that the Waymo stopped \u2014 then strolled in front of it. Tourists stood out by taking pictures.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>If you want to watch the robot cars return to their parking lot in SoMa (south of Market Street) there is a\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h53xlXu_6C4\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h53xlXu_6C4\" data-t-l=\":b|z|k|${u}\">live YouTube channel<\/a>\u00a0for that.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Only twice did my Waymo slam on the brakes \u2014 both times when a human car lurched out of a public garage into our path. The Jaguar stopped and the human car sped on its way. I didn\u2019t witness any ghost braking as happens with Tesla FSD.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Waymo One has been a target of vandalism. Troublemakers have figured out that a cone over the roof lidar \u2014 or on the front hood \u2014 will disable the Jaguar. Levin isn\u2019t concerned: \u201cTrust and safety are a big reason locals have embraced it \u2014 especially women and the elderly. San Francisco recently had a big concert and ran into a fake Uber problem that sometimes take advantages of people. That\u2019s not a problem with Waymo.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-8-ac7\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"7\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Analyst Brinley said that, despite the technological progress, the biggest challenge is how to make money.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cWhat\u2019s the real business case? It\u2019s far more expensive to outfit these cars with technology than it is to hire a driver,\u201d she said. \u201cRight now, there is no business case. These cars are doing a lot of deadhead miles without passengers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>San Francisco\u00a0\u2014 General Motors Co.\u2019s Cruise autonomous ride-share service left \u2018Frisco last year\u00a0after one of its driverless shuttles dragged a pedestrian, but the void has been quickly filled by Google\u2019s Waymo One, which now dominates the city&#8217;s robotaxi market. A Waymo One Jaguar iPace arrives to pick up Detroit News auto critic Henry Payne across [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33611"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33611"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33611\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33612,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33611\/revisions\/33612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}