Waymo robotaxis are now giving rides on freeways in LA, SF and Phoenix

Freeways vs. Surface Streets

• Several commenters say freeways are structurally simpler (no cross traffic, fewer pedestrians) but much harder to “fail safe” on, because you can’t just stop in lane without major risk.
• Others emphasize long‑tail edge cases at high speed: debris, animals, pedestrians, flooded sections, odd vehicles, and strange events (e.g. sea lions on the road).
• A recurring theme: freeways are “easier to get working,” but much harder to prove safe at driverless levels and to handle all rare cases at 65–75 mph.

Safety, Edge Cases & Reaction Times

• Concerns: phantom braking or over‑cautious behavior near construction, emergency lights, or odd obstacles creating pileups; sudden slowdowns in faster traffic feeling unsafe.
• Debate over reaction times: some argue AV stacks add latency vs. humans; others counter that AVs have more sensors, 360° awareness, and dedicated collision‑avoidance paths.
• Moral tradeoffs are discussed: is it acceptable to kill a few more people now if it accelerates deployment that ultimately saves many more, versus taking a slower, safer path?

Driving Behavior, Speed Limits & Traffic Flow

• Waymos are reported to obey posted limits and hug right lanes; some fear that being 10–20 mph slower than prevailing traffic is itself risky, others insist driving the limit is fine.
• Several speculate that enough AVs could smooth traffic, reduce “phantom jams,” and dampen stop‑and‑go waves.
• Some worry about how they’ll handle complex multi‑lane urban freeways, left exits, and inconsistent human norms.

Comparisons with Tesla, Cruise, and Human Drivers

• Many claim Waymo is “in another league” vs. Tesla FSD, GM/Ford systems, and Cruise—especially in city driving smoothness and rule observance.
• Others point out Tesla has long done freeway assistance (with a human), while Waymo is only now going fully driverless on highways.

User Experience & Incidents

• Frequent riders praise consistency, lack of small‑talk, and generally calm, predictable driving; some recount impressive hazard avoidance with pedestrians and cyclists.
• Negative anecdotes include over‑cautious maneuvers in congestion, occasional “weird” slowdowns, hitting a delivery robot, and one cat fatality that drew significant public ire.
• Cleanliness and maintenance are emerging issues; users report dirty interiors and emphasize the need for robust fleet upkeep.

Jobs, Regulation & Ethics

• Concerns about displacing Uber/Lyft drivers and taxi drivers, on top of prior disruptions from ride‑hailing itself.
• Some call for independent federal safety testing, not company‑sponsored stats; others note mandated crash reporting already exists in some jurisdictions.
• Underlying tension: convenience and safety gains vs. surveillance, labor impacts, and eventual “enshittification” once competition is weakened.

Technical Operations & Scaling

• Driving is done on‑board; connectivity is mainly for traffic, dispatch, and “fleet response.”
• In edge cases, remote staff can review sensor video and choose among options or sketch a short path, but the car still executes with its own safety constraints.
• Open questions remain about scaling fleets fast enough, operating in snow, handling twisty roads, and rolling out to smaller highway‑dependent cities.