By Jim Hunt for the News and Journal
Earlier this week, I was relaxing at home when I got a call from my nephew, Andrew, who lives in Austin, Texas. “Hey, Uncle Jim, can you FaceTime me?” he asked. My first thought was that his dog, Miko, had either learned a new trick or wrecked the apartment. But when I answered, I saw Andrew sitting in a car that was clearly moving. Before I could say anything, he flipped the phone around and I realized no one was driving.
“I’m in a Waymo heading home!” he said with a grin.
I caught myself before blurting out “be careful,” since he was in the backseat with no way to control the car. For the next seventeen minutes, I rode along virtually, watching buildings slide past as Andrew experienced something most of us still see as science fiction.
Naturally, I peppered him with questions. How do they work? What do they cost? How often has he used them? As he talked, he pointed out other Waymo’s on the street. I counted more than a dozen on his short ride. They’re easy to spot, each has a large dome on the roof and, at least in Austin, they’re all Jaguars. Inside, passengers can see screens in both the front and back seats.
Waymo works with Uber, usually costing a bit more than a ride with a human driver. Customers get a heads-up in the app if they’ll be riding in a driverless car, just in case they’re uneasy.
Andrew says he’s taken several and doesn’t give it a second thought anymore. For those who haven’t followed this trend, Waymo began in 2009 as Google’s Self-Driving Car Project and became a subsidiary of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, in 2016. While not the only player in the market—Tesla and others are preparing their own robotaxi services—Waymo has emerged as one of the first to roll out in large U.S. cities.
What struck me most was the potential for driverless cars in smaller communities. Elderly residents who can no longer safely drive could keep their independence without relying on family or friends. Companies behind this technology claim their vehicles are safer than human drivers and certainly safer than an 85-year-old navigating a narrow street or highway.
I told Andrew I’m putting this on my bucket list for 2026. I might just fly to Austin and let him show me the ropes. The implications go far beyond convenience. Think of the changes to car ownership if thousands of commuters simply hailed a ride each morning, hopped out at the office, and sent the car on to its next customer. Parking lots might shrink, downtown congestion might ease, and event traffic at stadiums or concert venues could be handled with fleets of driverless cars whisking people home. And let’s not overlook the safety factor: after a night out, instead of risking a DUI or worse, a rider could simply summon a Waymo.
For those who doubt it will ever catch on, remember the uproar over self-checkout lanes at
grocery stores. Many people swore they’d never use them. Now, you see grandmas scanning their groceries and paying with their phones. Technology creeps in slowly, but it rarely retreats.
As Andrew’s ride ended, he stepped out in front of his apartment, waved goodbye to the Waymo, and walked inside. I hung up the call marveling at the fact that I had just shared a glimpse of the future. It left me wondering not if, but when, folks in Clarksburg and towns like it will be hailing driverless cars of their own.
