Parents who live near a Waymo robotaxis may soon be able to drop off their children at any time from after-school activities.
As per the San Francisco Standard, Waymo, an Alphabet subsidiary, is contemplating launching a subscription service that would enable teenagers to independently pick up and drop off one of its vehicles while notifying their parents. Waymo called the program "Waymo Teen" in a survey, and it listed monthly fees for up to 16 rides ranging from $150 to $250.
A Waymo representative told Imagine Future, "We have been exploring the potential for authorized teens to access [Waymo] under their guardians’ supervision and have received promising feedback from our research in this area."
Not all ride-hailing services are aiming to increase their earnings by targeting teenagers, like Waymo. Uber started pairing teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 with its network's most highly regarded drivers last year. Legal guardians must give their consent in order for them to be notified of their child's whereabouts during rides.