Waymo’s Making Getting around more accessible to blind, low vision Kids with new teen Accounts
Jennifer Elias reported for CNBC this week Waymo has begun offering accounts to teenagers ages 14–17 in Phoenix. The decision reflects Waymo’s desire to “increase ridership amid a broader expansion of its ride-hailing service across US cities.”
“The Alphabet-owned company said that, beginning Tuesday, parents in Phoenix can use their Waymo accounts ‘to invite their teen into the program, pairing them together.’ Once their account is activated, teens can hail fully autonomous rides,” Elias wrote in describing Waymo’s ambitions for rider expansion. “Previously, users were required to be at least 18 years old to sign up for a Waymo account, but the age range expansion comes as the company seeks to increase ridership amid a broader expansion of its ride-hailing service across US cities. Alphabet has also been under pressure to monetize AI products amid increased competition and economic headwinds.”
Elias noted Waymo will provide so-called “specially-trained Rider Support agents” for teen riders, adding teens are able to share real-time updates of their trip status with parents. Their parents also receive the ride receipt(s). Another friend of mine, Bloomberg’s Natalie Lung, wrote on X Waymo’s teen accounts are limited to Phoenix for now because “California currently does not allow unaccompanied minors on AVs.”
Uber launched a similar service oriented towards teens in 2023, according to Elias.
Reading this story got me thinking wistfully about how Waymo—and particularly its new teen account feature—would’ve been so great during my high school years. I took a yellow school bus to and fro school every day from the time I was a wee kindergartner until I graduated high school in 2000. The vehicles were one of the shorter, smaller busses generally used to transport disabled kids back and forth from school. I never minded it, as I made some great friends on those trips—my favorite driver, Shirley, is a longtime Facebook friend of mine now—but as I grew into driving age, had Waymo existed then, I would’ve felt of a feather amongst my flock of friends who had normal vision and thus could drive. With Waymo, I could’ve asked a friend to ride with me after school to visit a Tower Records or The Wherehouse with me. I could’ve had the very same agency and autonomy I enjoy today two decades earlier as I was traversing my formative years. This is why I chose to cover Elias’ report: as it stands, Blind and low vision kids—in Arizona’s capital city, anyway—have a tremendous opportunity before them to potentially “drive” a car and get around independently. Not only is the autonomous driving tech cool as hell, the heightened feelings of self-esteem and empowerment on the still-in-development brains of today’s teenagers make a helluva difference in their socio-emotional growth—especially if they cope with a disability.
Waymo’s teen account comes not long after it announced expansion to New York City, as well as Tesla’s own robotaxi competitor seeks to add service here in the Bay Area.
