While Tesla plays around with "robotaxis" that still need a human driver, Waymo's been operating actual robotaxis for years. Not everyone has always loved them, but they've been successful enough that they've expanded to several other cities outside California and Arizona. Thanks to a new partnership with Uber, you can now get a Waymo in Atlanta, but since you have to go through the Uber app, you can't exactly order one directly. That's led a lot of Atlantans, desperate to try a robotaxi for themselves, simply canceling any rides with human drivers until they get a Waymo, Business Insider reports.
In other cities where Waymo operates, you can just use the Waymo app to book a ride, so it may sound odd to hear that folks in Atlanta can't do the same thing. But nope. In Atlanta, you have to book your Waymo through Uber. And while you can tell Uber you prefer a Waymo, that doesn't guarantee you'll actually get one. Apparently, even with that option selected, it can take a lot of canceled rides before you get one, too.
When Business Insider spoke to Atlanta resident Nate Galesic, he said that on average, he has to cancel an average of 20 human-driven rides before he can get a Waymo. According to Galesic, though, that's part of the fun, saying, "The fact that it's so challenging to get has turned it into a game."
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As Galesic told Business Insider, he's an assistant director in TV and film, and after a long day on set, it's nice to not have to drive himself or deal with a human driver. Apparently, it doesn't hurt that he can nod off without judgment, too, saying, "I've always dreamt about the day when I could just pass out on the way to and from work."
Galesic isn't the only Atlanta resident who told Business Insider they go out of their way to find a Waymo, either. Andrew Nerney has only taken about five trips with Waymo compared to Galesic's 35, but he's apparently dedicated to it enough that he's willing to do something almost unheard of in Georgia — walk. That's because he technically lives outside the zone Waymo operates in, so after canceling on all the human drivers to get a robotaxi, he then has to walk two blocks to get picked up.
An Uber spokesperson told Business Insider Waymo currently has "dozens of vehicles" in the Atlanta area, but that figure will grow to "hundreds over the next few years." That would theoretically make it easier for residents to match with robotaxis, but it's still a tiny number for a city that has about 500,000 residents and a metro area population of more than 6 million. If you want to increase your chances of getting a Waymo now, though, Business Insider does offer some advice:
Riders can maximize their chances of being paired with a Waymo car by avoiding trips that involve freeway driving, riding outside high-demand times like nights and weekends, and making sure that their pick-up and drop-off points are within the current 65-square-mile Atlanta service area, the spokesperson said. An option in Uber's settings menu allows users to indicate that they prefer rides in a Waymo.
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