Unmanned self-driving taxis are rapidly entering full-scale use across the United States. Many readers have shown interest in the safety and usage of driverless cars. A reporter from the Epoch Times specifically rode in one and interviewed some experienced passengers for an in-depth report.
In San Francisco, the driverless car service is primarily provided by Waymo, a subsidiary of Google, and has been under development and testing since 2009. The driverless cars began operating on public roads in 2015 and officially started offering self-driving taxi services to the public in October 2020. Currently, these driverless taxis are in full operation in cities like San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Miami, and Austin.
The driverless cars used in San Francisco are Jaguar sedans manufactured in the UK, with interior space similar to a Toyota Camry.
Waymo’s customer service for driverless cars is somewhat similar to Uber. To use the service, passengers first need to download an app named Waymo One on their phones to place their orders.
On the evening of May 1st, the reporter in San Francisco used the Waymo app to request a ride from a location within the city to Pier 3, about three kilometers away. After sending the request, the app displayed four nearby locations where the driverless cars could pick up, all within three blocks from the reporter.
Upon arriving at the nearest pickup point and requesting to board the car, the app showed that the driverless car would arrive within three minutes. It also displayed the car’s current location and the route it would take to reach the passenger.
The top of the driverless car has a circular canopy, making it easy for customers to distinguish it from other vehicles upon its arrival.
When the driverless car arrives, it automatically detects the passenger’s phone signal. As the passenger approaches the car door, it unlocks automatically, allowing the passenger to open it by pulling the handle.
Once inside, the driverless car provides voice reminders for passengers to fasten their seatbelts. If the seatbelt is not fastened, the system will issue warnings like a conventional vehicle. It also reminds passengers not to touch the steering wheel to avoid interfering with the car’s autonomous driving.
Additionally, passengers hear voice prompts that the car will not respond to any questions. If assistance is needed, passengers can request help through the Waymo app to contact the company’s customer support.
Based on feedback from various users, it was found that the language used in the Waymo app corresponds to the language set on the user’s phone. For example, if a user’s phone is set to Chinese, they can communicate with the customer support in Chinese through text messages.
The reporter felt the car was stable, like being driven by a skilled driver. The car automatically signals when turning corners. Sitting in the front passenger seat, the reporter noticed the turn signal indicators illuminated on the dashboard, similar to driving a conventional car and hearing the turn signal clicking sound.
The car’s windshield wipers are activated every few minutes to allow passengers to view the outside scenery through the window.
To test Waymo’s customer service, the reporter sent a message through the Waymo app requesting to return to the original pickup location about four minutes after the driverless car departed. The customer service responded, allowing the reporter to select the return trip option. After selecting the round trip, the next stop was set as the original pickup point after Pier 3.
During the return trip, the reporter selected the option to pull over on the screen, and the car promptly replied verbally, confirming the selection. The car then parked on the side of the street shortly after.
The reporter then selected the command to resume the journey on the screen, prompting the car to signal left as it left the curbside stop and continued toward the destination (the initial pickup point).
While in operation, the driverless car automatically plays music. Through the Waymo app, users can choose various types of music such as classical, jazz, or new age. The reporter changed between different music types easily, mirroring the convenience of adjusting the radio frequency in a personal vehicle.
As the car approaches the destination, the voice prompt inside the car notifies passengers about its proximity to the destination and reminds them to gather their belongings.
To evaluate the car’s intelligence, the reporter deliberately left one of the car windows open before reaching the destination and observed that the window automatically closed as the car departed.
Regarding pricing, the reporter received a fare estimate of about $19 using Uber’s app for the same trip. However, Waymo’s price for the same journey was $23, making Waymo’s service slightly more expensive than Uber’s.
Through conversations with passengers who have used driverless cars, it was revealed that since there is no driver, the vehicles require regular cleaning during use. Instances of cars being left untidy with food scraps have been reported.
Furthermore, a passenger shared that since the Waymo app is essential for communication between the phone and the vehicle, if a passenger’s phone runs out of battery when the car arrives, the doors will not automatically unlock. In such instances, if the car cannot detect the passenger’s phone signal at the pickup point, it will automatically depart after a few minutes.