I had a strange experience on a recent trip to San Francisco, in Northern California: a significant portion of the cars operating on the roads in the downtown area had no drivers!

My Uber driver scoffed at the cars as they passed us or pulled up next to us at traffic lights. “They are my competition,” my driver said.

San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the United States, and more visitors are trying riderless vehicle services than ever before. The residents seem nonplussed by their presence, but tourists are caught off guard by the futuristic sight.

Waymo, a subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet, started an autonomous, rider-only service first in Phoenix, Arizona, then expanded to San Francisco. Waymo partnered with Uber in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia. Miami is their next targeted market.

There are several Chinese companies operating driverless vehicles across China, and a few autonomous driving companies operating in Europe, Japan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. The complexity of European cities’ streets is one reason that robotaxis have not taken off there, however.

The white Waymo cars in the U.S. have fixtures on their roofs, as well as all around the vehicles, which house ultrasonic sensors, LiDAR (light detection and ranging), radar, and cameras. The cars are all-electric, sleek Jaguar I-PACE vehicles operated by Waymo’s fifth-generation autonomous driving system.

With 94% of crashes involving human error or choice, Waymo claims that its cars are safer than those operated by humans, as the Waymo Driver “never gets drunk, tired, or distracted.” Their mission is to “be the world’s most trusted driver,” and they claim that they have reduced traffic injuries and fatalities in the places where they operate. I did witness some pedestrians testing whether the Waymo cars would stop if they walked in front of them. They did stop.

The Waymo cars’ safety record definitely beats Tesla’s Autopilot score. Tesla plans to launch a robotaxi service in the future.

The Waymo project began in 2009 as a Google self-driving car venture. Now, anyone in the United States can download the Waymo One app and hail a fully autonomous ride for up to four passengers in their expanding service territory. If car seats for children are required, they must be supplied by the riders.

The cars have become a tourist attraction where they are offered. Waymo touts its role in facilitating and encouraging tourism.

I had to try one. The experience feels a little freaky. Unlike other ride-hailing services, you do not see an icon of where your car is when it is on its way to you, but you do receive time estimates. The rider’s initials are illuminated when it arrives, on a screen atop the vehicle. From the app, users can choose the color to be displayed. You unlock the car door using the Waymo app, and the door handle moves outward for you to grab. After you enter the vehicle, a voice welcomes you by name and gives you a rundown of rules, including wearing your seatbelt. Calm music greets you, which you can change using the touch screen. Music choices from iHeartRadio are offered in multiple genres. The car was very clean, and the leather seats were comfortable.

The windows are black, offering privacy. The cars are still enough of a novelty that I saw a couple take photos when the car stopped next to them.

The car moved smoothly, avoiding the many pedestrians it encountered en route. It obeyed traffic directions and lights, though it did catch a red light at the tail end of a yellow, and it rushed through at one intersection.

One drawback was that I was dropped off around the corner from my destination. Perhaps the AI system determined that it was a safer place for disembarking.

Some users prefer Waymo over Uber or Lyft because there is no pressure to interact with the drivers or concerns about who is behind the wheel. Many of my friends express fear around being driven essentially by a robot, or are put off by the higher cost. No tipping is accepted with Waymo, so perhaps the cost is ultimately comparable to Uber's and Lyft's. I found the experience simultaneously fun and relaxing.

Many cars today include more technology to assist with driving. These include automatic emergency braking, parking assistance, hands-free driving, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control, and car summoning ability. Vehicles that are almost self-driving include the 2024 Cadillac Escalade, 2025 BMW X5, 2025 Volvo V90 Cross Country, 2025 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and several Tesla models, among others. The technology can be pricey to add to one’s vehicle, but does generally increase safety by decreasing human error.

Since technology put San Francisco and the Bay Area on the map, it is fitting that its roads are being taken over somewhat by driverless cars. Would you try one of these AI chauffeurs?