To make a difference in the taxi market, it is too crowded when it is competing with traditional taxis, public transport, ride-hailing applications and other self-driving services. The method that Waymo uses is to focus on providing amenities to attract customers.
The first amenities, being tested on Waymo cars in Phoenix, include free WiFi and free music. The music is provided through Google Play Music and has no advertisements. Passengers can listen to their pre-set list or listen to their own music by linking their Waymo account to Google Play Music.
The current WiFi service only supports a small group of users, and these are prohibited from sharing their experiences. Waymo said that with WiFi, passengers can work with tablets or computers, which is especially useful when there are urgent matters that need to be handled or on long trips.
The other amenities Waymo is trying to provide is air conditioners with the ability to keep the car's space at 22 degrees, a big advantage in the harsh summer in Arizona. In addition, child seats will also be provided to make Waymoes more family-friendly. And finally, passengers can also charge their mobile devices on Waymo.
Another advantage of Waymo vehicles is consistency. With a fleet of cars with similar designs both inside and outside, passengers will feel familiar with every trip.
Waymo is a self-driving car company that separated from Google at the end of 2016, with the mission of commercializing the self-driving car technology that was developed in the previous 7 years by Google with the testing of more than 3.2 million km. Waymo CEO John Krafcik described the company as "dedicated to developing a safe and easy means of transportation for everyone".
Since mid-October 2018, Waymo has been testing a minivan that runs without asafety driver. This is also the level of automation that the automotive industry dreams of (Level 4 autonomy). Google's company said it has started sending invitations for people to try using the device for personal purposes, starting with those who participated in the previous pilot program in Phoenix (USA). According to Waymo CEO, in the future, users can rent a car per day, per week or even longer.
Because there is no need for a driver, the vehicle can also be redesigned to transport goods, as a place to eat dinner or sleep. Currently, although Waymo vehicles still have drivers to prevent emergencies, these drivers are not allowed to talk to customers. For passengers who seek peace and quiet, the ability to move without interacting with anyone is a huge plus.
With strong advances, completely autonomous vehicles and autonomous vehicle services will help Waymo get a center position in the autonomous technology race.
