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About a month ago, I flew home from a work trip into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. It was late. My wife and kids were asleep. So, I fetched a ride from a ride-hailing app. The car arrived. It took me to my home in the suburbs. Dropped me off. 

It was a typical ride-hailing experience. 

Except for one critical detail… 

There was no driver. 

The car that picked me up from the airport, drove me through Phoenix, and dropped me off at my house had no driver. 

It was a fully autonomous vehicle operated by Waymo

Waymo is the self-driving unit at Alphabet Inc. (GOOG). It’s been working on developing autonomous vehicle technology for over a decade now. For the past few years, it’s been quietly testing its technology through autonomous ride-hailing in Phoenix and a few other American cities. Folks in those areas can hail an autonomous Waymo and have it drive them from place to place. I bet many of you live nearby one of them and can try this yourself 

That’s what I did for my trip from Phoenix Sky Harbor International to my house.  

And you can check out my video report during that trip right here.

Here’s How It Works 

After downloading the Waymo One app, I summoned a ride, much in the same way you call an Uber or a Lyft through their apps.  

It arrived at the airport pickup location. I unlocked the car with my phone and stepped into the back of the vehicle. I put down my bags, buckled my seatbelt, and clicked “Start Ride” on an iPad-like display in the backseat. 

The Waymo – which, in my case, was a Jaguar – drove itself away from the airport, navigated through Phoenix traffic, and, some 30 minutes later, dropped me off safely at my house. 

It was a wonderful experience. 

And not an isolated one. 

Waymo is currently delivering more than 100,000 autonomous rides per week in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. 

That’s a lot of rides! 

And they’re growing quickly. Just a few months ago, Waymo was only completing about 50,000 rides per week – meaning it’s doubled its ride volume in just a few months. 

I think that number will double in the next few months, too. 

Earlier this summer, Waymo announced that it is expanding its driving area in Phoenix and including highways. Less than two months ago, it announced expanded driving areas in San Francisco and Los Angeles. And in just a few months, Waymo plans to roll out autonomous rides to Austin and Atlanta. 

Plus, the company has partnered with Uber Technologies Inc. (UBER) to autonomously deliver food through Uber Eats in select locations, including Phoenix. 

It seems Waymo is firing on all cylinders right now. 

Maybe that’s why Alphabet just invested an extra $5 billion in the company. With that much funding, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Waymo operating in every major U.S. metro by the end of 2025. 

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