What you need to know
- Google's self-driving car project now has an iOS app.
- Waymo started way back in 2009, and Waymo One is celebrating its first birthday.
- Waymo One is a self-driving pickup service, and iOS users in Arizona can now get in on the action.
Google's Waymo One pickup service is now available on iOS, giving some users to chance to take part in Waymo's early rider program.
As reported by 9to5Google, Google's Waymo One service was launched a year ago and has been available on Android since April of this year. It's focused around Google's self-driving car project, Waymo. The app allows users to call for a lift, much like Uber, however when your car turns up, there won't be a driver inside. Instead, Waymo's autonomous Chrysler minivans will pick you up and take you to your destination.
Anyone in the US can download the iOS app, however, the service only currently operates in Arizona. Specifically the Phoenix East Valley area. If you live there, you're eligible to sign up for Waymo's early rider program, which currently has more than 1,500 monthly active riders.
Over 100,000 rides have been taken since the service launched in 2017, and the number of weekly rides has tripled since January of this year. The app's description states:
Get there with Waymo - the World's Most Experienced Driver™The Waymo app makes it easy to get where you're going in a safe, smart and comfortable self-driving car. What started as Google's self-driving project is now taking the stress out of people's everyday drives and making it safe and easy for everyone to get around. Take your next ride with Waymo — the World's Most Experienced Driver.If you live in the Metro Phoenix area in Arizona (including parts of Chandler, Tempe, Mesa, and Gilbert) you can get a ride with Waymo One, our self-driving service, and be a part of the future of driving.
Recently, the app has been improved to include a dark mode for riding at night, and the ability to listen to your own music whilst you're in the car. You can even honk the car's horn from the app, not sure if that last one's a good idea though...
