Look Ma, No Hands! (The Future is Driverless)

I rode in my first driverless taxi (Waymo) last night and lived to tell the tale

Alec McNayr

Aug 15, 2024

I grew up in the 1980s. I’ve experienced a lot of firsts. Big firsts. Firsts that feel like the future is upon us.

Jetsons-level stuff.

First time I logged into AOL and found a chat room (1995).
First time I owned a cell phone (1999).
First time I posted a video to YouTube (2006).
First time I posted something on Facebook (for a client) that got over a million likes (2011).

And last night, it happened again.

Just by hailing a car.

Similar to Lyft or Uber, I used my app and waited seven minutes for the car to arrive.

But unlike those services…

When I got into the car…

I was the only person there.

I was driven home by Waymo.

I have seen the future, and it is driverless.

“This is most cautious driver you know”

A few observations I jotted down during my 23-minute ride from Santa Monica to Culver City (in Los Angeles):

It is a TRIP to get into a car with NO ONE in the driver seat, feel it pull away, see the steering wheel move, and know that your safety is entirely in the hands of a machine.

Here’s a video of the initial departure moments (and overheard instructions). What you don’t hear is ME, FREAKING OUT.

The entry experience is a MASTER CLASS in psychological feelings of safety in a new (scary) setting. The overheard female voice is simple, funny, and stress-relieving. You are immediately presented with soothing lo-fi music like a hip day spa. The two screens visible show you the digital street view - assuring you that the robot sees all the things you see: cars, pedestrians, bikes, stop signs, street lights. You are even presented with a “pull over” button. “This is safe,” the robot whispers to me as it pulls away into the unknown future.

The driving is very safe. This is the most cautious driver you know. It obeys all the laws. But it’s not different than the other drivers on the road. This isn’t a student driver. Just unrushed.

It over-signals. Like it signals when it thinks it MIGHT want to get over. Much different than most LA drivers who signal after they’re already into your lane.

It slowed down for a weird dip in the road - it either knew it was there (from prior trips) or “saw it” with radar.

It’s kind of annoying that it obeys all the rules, but also, I get it. I’m just used to Uber drivers speeding or rolling through stop signs or not paying attention. It probably adds 10% drive time, but it’s a small price to pay for safety.

Last week, I took an Uber where the driver listened to loud Tiktok-style videos in Pakastani(?) for 45 minutes. I mostly didn’t care, because I was on my phone and not eager to converse, but what if I needed to take a call? Conversely, I am ALONE in this car, and this is QUIET.

I have complete, direct control over the music, air conditioning, and can reroute or ask the car to pull over with one button.

This car is clearly not cleared to go on a freeway because this is all side streets. But based on what I see here, I’d be very comfortable on a freeway.

Hear my laugh when it makes a right turn on a red light…

I’m approaching the end of the trip, and my mind starts to calculate the cost.

This ride cost me $19, whereas an Uber would have cost $23 + $4 tip. Waymo didn’t even ask for a tip. So $19 instead of $27. That’s 30% less.

I made it home - completely safe.

I have no fear of the driver knowing where I live. I don’t usually care about this, but I bet many women do.

Final assessment? I would do this again, 10 out of 10.

Very positive experience.

Fun fact: when I got home, I told my wife that it felt like a ghost was driving, and she didn’t like that analogy AT ALL.

Is this the future? Yes. How quickly? Faster than you think-

Minority Report is one of my favorite movies. Not only is it a very Spielberg action movie, the future technology (set in the 2050s) is incredibly imaginative. Especially the cars:

What would it take for our entire American (or global) car system to become automated like this?

Surely, we Americans won’t give up our freedoms so easily, but what would it take to convince us to change?

There were 40,990 motor vehicle crash fatalities in 2023 alone.

Is 112 deaths EVERY DAY enough?

Consider this service is simply the FIRST GENERATION of this technology. It’s like driving in an original iPhone.

Imagine what happens when these cars talk to each other on the road, instead of being trained to anticipate dumb, irresponsible, human behavior. Imagine if the “cautious machine driver” is the default - 70% of cars on the road that act in alignment?

Imagine a robot car saying “Ahem, could I sneak in ahead of you?” to the next car in a millisecond via some fancy radar system?

That’s gotta be better than some dude cutting ahead of me on the freeway offramp, causing me to raise my hand like an angry Italian and yell rude names for them, based on the make and price of their car (Hyundai = Idiot, Audi = Prick, Cybertruck = “Ska-douche”).

All I’m saying is that you should get ready. This is going to happen fast.

Faster than we’re comfortable.

Say nice things to your Alexa. Ask Siri how her day is going. Remember to laugh at Google’s jokes.

Their cousins are about to have your lives in their hands.

Well, what do you think?

You gonna jump into the backseat of a driverless car?

Or picket city hall to prevent this abomination?

The future is here. Are you ready?

Look Ma, No Hands! (The Future is Driverless)

I rode in my first driverless taxi (Waymo) last night and lived to tell the tale

“This is most cautious driver you know”

Is this the future? Yes. How quickly? Faster than you think-

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