SF parents new hack: Sending kids off solo in a Waymo

Chris echoed the point about safety, citing the visibility the Waymo app provides to parents and the advantage of a robot chauffeur versus a stranger driving his child. 

“We see absolutely everything on the app,” he said. “There’s no driver to attack her. There’s no human interaction to create a disturbance.”

Waymo is considering a program that would allow teenagers to hail robotaxis without a parent, The Standard reported last week. This year, the company gauged user interest in subscriptions for “Waymo Teen,” with plans ranging from $150 to $250 per month for eight, 12, or 16 rides. Parents could receive pickup and drop-off notifications and have the option of human safety checks.

After The Standard published a story about the program, Redditors rejoiced. “For families with kids, it can be a near full-time job moving them around because of how unwalkable our cities are,” one user wrote. “I personally would spend 4-6 hours per day driving and picking my [family] up when they were between the ages of 8 and 16. I still spend 2 hours per day even now that I’m down to just one that can’t drive.” 

Last year, Uber launched a ride program for 13- to 17-year-olds. It said children must have consent from their legal guardians, who receive notifications for ride requests, pickups, and dropoffs. Uber said only highly rated drivers would be paired with children.  

Most SF parents The Standard spoke to said they are waiting until their children are teenagers before sending them on solo self-driving trips. But there are some robotaxi superfans who want the option extended to younger children.

Ashwin Lalendran, a 15-year veteran of the autonomous vehicle industry, said if the company were to launch a kid-focused ride offering, he would sign up in a heartbeat. He and his wife even considered bringing their newborn home from UCSF hospital in a Waymo but were stymied by the challenge of fitting the whole family into one vehicle. 

“When do we get a minivan version of this?” Lalendran said. “That’s how much we trust it.”

“Our parents spent hours and hours during the week shuttling kids back and forth,” Lalendran added. “It truly does feel like we’re living in the future of San Francisco, and I’m so glad my kids get to experience it as the future is getting built.”