Waymo is expanding its early rider program in Arizona to include self-driving rides for everyday tasks such as grocery shopping and hotel stays, taking the next step in acclimating a wary public to autonomous technology.
The new and expanded partnerships with Walmart, real estate investment group DDR Corp., local hotelier Element Hotel, Avis Budget Group and AutoNation, announced last week, offer a variety of ways for people to end up in the back seat of a driverless car. Participants will be able to use Waymo's self-driving vehicles for shopping, dining and business excursions, and for short-term rental and repair purposes.
"These are incremental steps, but it's all about getting butts in seats," said Akshay Anand, executive analyst with Kelley Blue Book. "Consumers who have experiences with autonomous technology are much more open to fully autonomous vehicles."
The new partnerships will be confined to the metropolitan Phoenix area, where Waymo established its early rider program for residents in 2017. The company said that 400 riders participate in the program. Waymo is preparing for the launch of a commercial service this year.
Waymo has used strategic partnerships to let it focus on core autonomous technology, true to its roots in sibling company Google's research labs.
Partner benefits
The company has teamed with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Jaguar Land Rover to provide vehicles — the hybrid Chrysler Pacifica and all-electric Jaguar I-Pace — for use in its development, and with AutoNation and Avis for internal vehicle maintenance and repair.
But this new round of partnerships stands out.
"The Walmart partnership is probably more important because it's nonautomotive," said Anand. "To consumers, it's a real-world example of a place that you could actually use Waymo's cars."
And the company hopes the national reach of partners such as Walmart and DDR will be steppingstones to the launch of a commercial service for public use later this year.
"While these are metro Phoenix-specific partnerships today, these businesses are national and what we learn from these programs will give us a network of partners when we launch in new cities down the road," the company wrote in a blog post.
Overcoming skepticism
- Customers who order groceries on Walmart.com can use a driverless vehicle to take them to the store to pick up their order.
- AutoNation service center and Avis rental car customers will get the option of having driverless vehicles when they are without their personal vehicles.
- Shoppers and diners at DDR's Ahwatukee Foothills Towne Center in Phoenix can use a driverless vehicle to avoid parking.
- Some guests at Element Hotel will be offered driverless vehicles during their stay.
These partnerships are part of an attempt to soothe the public's nerves about autonomous technology. An annual poll of consumers' trust in self-driving cars taken by AAA in May found that 73 percent of Americans fear autonomous technology, up from 63 percent last year.
The company has made a special effort to showcase its self-driving technology for the public, even filming a humorous commercial with comedian Jimmy Kimmel for his late-night talk show. Waymo has also worked with organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the National Safety Council to highlight the safety benefits of self-driving cars.
But industry experts hope that actual experience with self-driving cars will boost public acceptance.
"It's about awareness and getting people to have that autonomous experience, even if it is a short ride," Anand said.