Maybe for some riders it's ho-hum. For most of us, though, driverless taxis are going to take a little bit of getting used to.
Popular TikToker Jayka Noelle (@jayka.noelle) took the plunge and ordered a Waymo in Scottsdale, Arizona, while bringing two friends and over 300,000 followers along for the ride.
@jayka.noelle @Waymo picked us up and was actually such a vibe 💁🏽♀️ #driverlesscar #waymo #arizona #scottsdale #travel ♬ original sound - jayka noelle
The video begins with Noelle saying "Let's see how this goes" after booking a Waymo to a bar. First things first, the car. Waymo's website notes that it exclusively uses the fully electric Jaguar I-Pace in Phoenix. Not only that, the chargers are powered by 100% clean energy. The car does look pretty sleek as it pulls up.
As it arrives, we hear Noelle repeating "There's no one here," referring to the human-free driver's seat. It dutifully waits for them to get in, and one of Noelle's friends greets the nonexistent driver.
In a light moment, Noelle asks "Who are we saying hi to?" The car does greet them via a backseat screen, and they push "start ride" on the touchscreen. From there, the trip unfolds as the group enthusiastically and apprehensively react to the unusual experience. They exclaim "This is so scary!" and "Oh my God!" as the car drives and the steering wheel moves of its own accord. They call it "freaky" and exchange nervous laughter and yelps while saying they're scared during the more pronounced turns.
By the end, though, they've fully gotten comfortable, and the carefree group blasts their own music and dances. Old habits die hard, and they thank and wave goodbye to the "driver" repeatedly. Noelle wrote the experience "was actually such a vibe" in the caption.
A lot of companies like Waymo are betting on driverless vehicles being the future. EV maker Tesla has its own ambitious play with its own robotaxi, named Cybercab. It's encouraging to see Waymo prioritizing EVs and going further by charging through Arizona's green energy sources. EVs can help lower our collective tailpipe pollution, and reliance on dirty energy that heats the planet.
While Noelle definitely enjoyed the experience, commenters were a mixture of nervous and excited.
"You girlies have Waymo courage than me to be riding in that," one viewer quipped.
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For sure 👍 "I've never seen anything like this," another wrote. "We are in the future."
A seasoned rider added: "I love Waymos! I felt safer in there than [with] an actual driver."
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