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Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

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Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#3
I think my autonomavertigo would prevent me from ever taking a Waymo.

Autonomavertigo (noun):

The disorienting fear or anxiety experienced when surrendering control to autonomous systems, especially self-driving vehicles. Often accompanied by phantom brake-pumping and suspicious glances at the dashboard.

Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#4
post #2

Interesting. Very little about the underlying reasons for this. Maybe it's driven by curiosity/awe for the new experience? Maybe being alone in the car makes a better ride?

I pay a premium for Waymos.

No need to tip, or even think about whether one should tip. The ride won’t cancel on me, which makes it more reliable. (Waymos are also more consistently clean.) I can take phone calls without worrying about my rider rating. And yeah, they’re more fun because they're novel.

Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#5
post #2

Interesting. Very little about the underlying reasons for this. Maybe it's driven by curiosity/awe for the new experience? Maybe being alone in the car makes a better ride?

"Lack of another person in the vehicle" is a feature. Don't have to interact with a person. No weed/cigarette smell. And so on. Also a computer may not drive as well as the best human but it will always drive much better than the worst human.

Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#6
I'm willing to pay more for a better ride experience:

* Waymos are all the same. I underrated the value of this until I started taking Waymo more often.

* I can control the music and volume with my phone.

* I can listen to YouTube or take a call without AirPods. Sometimes I even hotspot and do some work.

But most importantly Waymos all _drive_ the same way. I have had some really perplexing Uber drivers, either driving in a confused and circuitous way, distracted by YouTube, or just driving dangerously. I am more confident that I will have a safe ride in a Waymo than in an Uber.

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