There is an unspoken trust that comes with ordering a rideshare after a night out. Getting into a stranger’s car is something we were warned about our entire lives, yet it has quickly become routine, despite its safety concerns.
Companies like Lyft and Uber are becoming more dependable if somebody needs to go somewhere with no ride.
These services have evolved into reliable forms of transportation for people to arrive at their destinations safely.
Waymo is a driverless, electric and environmentally friendly transportation alternative to traditional rideshare options, according to its website.
Waymo began as a Google self-driving car in 2009, and launched its rider only service publicly in Metro Phoenix in 2020 through their app.
Like other transportation apps, riders simply enter their destination in the Waymo app and request a ride. A self-driving vehicle will then arrive at the designated pickup selected by the car’s system.
While this concept may sound futuristic, Waymo still leaves me feeling unsettled.
Riders have documented their experiences online, with some videos showing the self-driving cars stopping in the middle of traffic or taking unexpected turns.
On March 9, Arizona TikTok user @jojojojojosie posted a video of her first Waymo ride on TikTok, which showed the vehicle crossing four lanes of traffic.
Driving is, after all, always a risk, but I personally would rather have control of the car I’m in.
Watching videos of Waymo rides only adds to that hesitation.
Waymo made its first appearance in San José November 2025, making appearances in Santana Row, Westfield Valley Fair, the Rosemary Gardens, Newhall, College Park and San José Mineta Airport, according to San José International Airport.
Inside Waymo vehicles, a screen displays a digital map showing the car you’re in alongside other vehicles nearby.
Instead of feeling reassuring, it almost amplifies the anxiety.
If driving already comes with enough stress, trusting a robotic car to navigate busy streets and potential wrong turns feels even more unsettling.
Earlier this month a Waymo car was recorded on video interfering with first responders shooting in downtown Austin, according to a March 12 KXAN article. This raises further questions about how self-driving cars handle unpredictable emergency situations.
While Waymo has its faults, traditional rideshare companies are far from perfect. Uber for example has faced numerous reports of drivers sexually assaulting passengers.
In Orange County, California Costa Mesa Police arrested a rideshare driver charged with kidnapping and sexual assault of an intoxicated passenger on Feb. 27, according to KTVU Fox 2 news.
In a separate lawsuit filed in September 2025, a 23-year-old woman detailed her experience of sexual assault after an Uber driver forced her out of the vehicle after she became sick following a concert, according to a Sept. 9, 2025 ABC7 article.
While I don’t advise using any of these transportation services alone after a night of drinking, I will suggest an alternative. Uber offers female only drivers for any women who may feel unsafe or apprehensive.
According to a ABC7 article, most recently Uber launched a women only option that went nationwide in the U.S. Matching female passengers to female drivers as a safety preference.
As far as commuting to cities, I’m the only driver I will trust to safely get to my destination.
I’d rather enjoy the journey and commute than screaming in the back of a robotic self-driving car.
Until Waymo trouble shoots the car’s issues of stopping in the middle of a busy street, I’ll pass on driving in a self-driving car for now.
