You ain’t seen nothing like it. Except every day of your life
In a groundbreaking leap into the future, self-driving car specialist Waymo has launched the world’s first driverless taxi service in Phoenix, Arizona – complete with a driver.
That’s right, after years of focused and intensive testing in the Phoenix area, the Google-owned company has today rolled out « Waymo One » and hundreds of « early riders » are now able to order a driverless taxi, complete with driver, using a phone app.
Just like current taxis – in fact, exactly like current taxis – you can order a car to pick you up where you are and ask to be driven somewhere else in the same city for a sum of money.
But the truly great aspect is that if you have any questions for the driver, even though there is an actual human being sat several feet away from you, you will be able to ask a computer console to get an answer.
« Our early riders have shown us that the first time people take a self-driving ride, they have questions, » the company explains in a blog post .
« That’s why we’ve put support literally front and center in our cars. With the tap of a button on our in-car console and screens, or through the Waymo app, riders can connect instantly to a rider support agent to ask questions like, ‘What if I want to change my destination during the trip?' »
Or perhaps: « Why don’t I just ask Chuck seeing as he’s sat here trying to make sure no one dies thanks to Hal here? »
You have to be selected by Waymo to be allowed into the program and of course you have to live in Phoenix.
