Waymo One, the first commercial robotaxi service, is now picking up passengers in Arizona

Los Angeles Times ^ | 12/5/18 | Russ Mitchell

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Waymo on Wednesday launched a commercial robot ride-hailing service in Arizona called Waymo One.

Like Uber or Lyft, customers will summon a ride with a smartphone app. But in this case, the car will be driving itself.

Only “a few hundred customers” will have access to the app and participate in the early stages. Although the cars will drive themselves, a Waymo engineer will sit behind the wheel in case anything goes wrong. Waymo did not say when the cars will start arriving without a human minder or when the program will be expanded.

Waymo’s cars, Chrysler Pacifica minivans bristling with autonomous driving technology, are available in several eastern and southeastern Phoenix suburbs, including Chandler, Tempe, Mesa and Gilbert. The fares are similar to those charged by Uber and Lyft.

Waymo has ferried Phoenix-area passengers in robot cars since April 2017 in what the company calls its Early Rider program. Unlike Early Rider — which Waymo will continue — Waymo One customers won’t be required to sign nondisclosure agreements and won’t be expected to continually provide feedback about their experience.

Waymo One represents the beginnings of a business that could be worth a lot of money. How much, no one yet knows: Wall Street estimates of Waymo’s market value, should it be spun off, range from $50 billion to $175 billion.

The Phoenix area was chosen for its friendliness to driverless cars (Regulations on driverless cars are less stringent in Arizona than in California.) The flat, snow-free desert terrain, the well-kept and well-marked roads, the scarcity of trees to block street signs, and sun-blasted sidewalks on which few pedestrians tread all lend themselves to early robot car deployment.

[Daffynition]

[Republic_Venom]

I can see insurance being a thing of the past. As robots start doing surgery, and providing medical care, I can see health insurance a thing of the past. Imagine an AI persona who is a constant companion (watch, or phone, or some wearable device...or even an implanted device) who’s main purpose is to monitor your health and well-being. As soon it detects an anomaly, it suggests medication, etc. I see all of this happening in the next 10 years. That’s why I don’t worry about health care insurance, etc. It will all be a thing of the past.