Rideshare drivers not worried yet as Waymo autonomous car service continues to expand
A bigger Phoenix service area for Waymo cars
Waymo self-driving cars have been serving people in parts of the Phoenix area for years, and now, the autonomous ride service is expanding into more parts of the Valley, including ASU's Tempe campus and a portion of Scottsdale. FOX 10's Brian Webb reports.
PHOENIX - Autonomous vehicle service Waymo is now expanding into other parts of the Phoenix area.
The driverless cars first started transporting passengers in a portion of the East Valley, and later expanded into Downtown Phoenix. In 2022, it also started to take passengers to a Sky Train station, where people movers will then take passengers to the two Sky Harbor Airport terminals.
Now, the driverless car service is doubling its service territory to 180 square miles at maximum, to include more parts of the East Valley, including Arizona State University's Tempe campus and Old Town Scottsdale and its surrounding areas.
While some may be excited by Waymo's expansion, a group that is leery of the expansion is rideshare drivers, as they realize autonomous vehicles may be coming for their jobs.
Rideshare drivers, however, are not panicking just yet.
"Maybe I should be, but no, I’m not," said Mary Salvati. "Some of the people you talk to are actually afraid of it."
"No I’m not, really, based on the fact that they would have to really increase their fleet, and that’s a pretty big cost from a pure business perspective," said Bill Edinber.
Besides service area, there is another difference between Waymo cars and rideshare vehicles: Waymo cars stay on surface streets, and avoid highways.
Waymo services are offered in the Phoenix area, as well as in a portion of San Francisco.
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