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Tourists are paying hundreds of dollars to go on Waymo rides around San Francisco
“Tourists are eager to integrate this new and exciting mode of transportation into their travel itineraries, using it to visit local hotspots and sharing their autonomous journeys on social media,” staff at Waymo wrote in a March report. It suggested not only that autonomous vehicles had become integrated into San Francisco’s character and image, but that robotaxis could help draw people to the city.
Dara Mihaly has led tours of major U.S. cities using just about every imaginable mode of transportation: a black SUV, a vintage fishing boat, a cable car, her own two feet, a Segway scooter.
So when Waymo launched its commercial robotaxis in San Francisco last year, the veteran guide was eager to incorporate them into her business. From February to August, Mihaly booked 10 Waymo tours in which clients would ride the autonomous vehicles to such prominent landmarks as Alamo Square, Twin Peaks and the Golden Gate Bridge.
At $149 for a three-hour, three-ride “experience,” these jaunts became so popular that Mihaly began offering them in Los Angeles, Waymo’s other flagship market in California. She had four Waymo tours on the calendar as of Aug. 18, the day the self-driving car juggernaut sent a cease-and-desist letter. Mihaly had, it turned out, violated the company’s terms and conditions for brand display.
