Waymo for kids? Some SF parents sending kids to school in driverless vehicles

Some San Francisco parents are starting a new trend: sending their kids to school alone in driverless Waymo vehicles, according to The San Francisco Standard.

Imagine the ease: it's 7:30 a.m., and instead of hopping into your car and trudging through SF's morning traffic to wait in line at your kid's school drop-off, you simply pull out your phone and order them a ride. The car pulls up within minutes, and you send them off. Then you get back to your morning, watching the app to ensure your child arrives safe and sound.

It seems like a dream to some, a nightmare to others. For some parents in San Francisco, off-boarding school dropoff is a welcome relief.

But Waymo's policies prohibit children 17-years-old and younger from riding in its vehicles alone. Those who don't follow Waymo's ridership policies could be kicked off the app altogether.

For the SF parents using the app get get kids around, the risk of a deactivated account is worth taking. One parent told The Standard that he and his wife have been sending kids to school in Waymos for the past year, and he feels safe because "I can track it," he said.

Though Uber allows teenagers between the ages of 13-17 to ride unaccompanied with a parent's permission, the plethora of claims of sexual harassment and assault at the hands of rideshare drivers may give some parents pause. Waymo vehicles are driverless, leaving parents to worry less about their child's safety.

Lyft has a similar ridership policy to Waymo, prohibiting anyone age 17 or younger from riding alone.

Waymo sent a survey earlier this year that led folks to believe the tech company is considering a new option for teen riders. The changes could allow them to hail a ride without an adult.

"Whether it’s a 6am swim practice, an after school dance class, or a Friday night football game, Waymo can take your teen, so you don’t have to," the pitch in the survey said. "With Waymo, there’s no one in the driver’s seat, so your teen won’t have to be alone in a car with someone they don’t know," the survey, obtained by The Standard, said. 

When asked for comment on the underage riders, Waymo declined. However, the company did offer a statement on its consideration of a new program for young riders:

"Waymo has a robust team who conducts user experience research to discover what features, promotions and experiences our riders may enjoy most. We have been exploring the potential for authorized teenagers to access Waymo One under their guardians' supervision and have received promising feedback from our research in this area," the spokesman shared.