Most parents of teens know the experience of dropping their kids off a short distance away from their destination lest they be an embarrassment.
Waymo is weighing a solution: robot drivers.
The driverless car company sent some riders a survey earlier this year to gather information on how it might execute a service for teens to ride without an adult, a Waymo spokesperson confirmed.
Waymo rules require riders to be over 18 to hop in one of its robotaxis alone. Minors can ride with family members or other adults if a parent or legal guardian gives consent.
The survey asked riders to read a summary of a potential Waymo Teen program that would “offer teens a chance to get around safely, giving them freedom to go wherever they need to go without relying on a grown-up for a ride. And at the same time, parents have more time — no more driving kids all over town.”
A Reddit user posted the survey earlier this summer.
The Waymo spokesperson said the company sends such surveys to riders when it is interested in adding new features to its robotaxi service. But he declined to confirm if or when the Waymo Teen program might launch.
“We have been exploring the potential for authorized teenagers to access Waymo One under a guardian’s supervision and have received promising feedback from our research in this area,” the company said in a statement.
“Whether it’s a 6am swim practice, an after school dance class, or a Friday night football game, Waymo can take your teen, so you don’t have to,” the pitch in the survey said. “With Waymo, there’s no one in the driver’s seat, so your teen won’t have to be alone in a car with someone they don’t know.”
The survey also asked riders to select which potential subscription for Waymo Teen piqued their interest: plans ranging from $150 to $250 per month for eight, 12 or 16 rides, with pickup and drop-off notifications and the option of human safety checks.
Waymo has ramped up its robotaxi services this year, removing its waitlist to allow anyone to hail a ride in San Francisco. Earlier this summer, it expanded beyond San Francisco proper to Daly City, Broadmoor and Colma, though it could be years before the company gets permission to ferry passengers to and from San Francisco International Airport.
In spring, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office charged a 14-year-old boy with arson after a Waymo robotaxi was set aflame in Chinatown during February’s Lunar New Year festivities.