Waymo Premier
Waymo has introduced “Waymo Premier,” a $29.99/month membership for its self‑driving ride service that offers priority pickups, 10% ride credit, flexible cancellations, and early access in new cities, prompting debate over whether the perks justify yet another subscription. Commenters weigh the appeal of driverless rides—especially for people who feel unsafe or uncomfortable with human drivers—against concerns about surge pricing, limited coverage, privacy, safety incidents, and the risk of “enshittification” as basic service quality is increasingly tied to paid tiers. Many also question whether robotaxis can realistically replace car ownership or public transit given current costs, geography, and technical limits.
Subscription offering and perceived value
- Premier is seen as an “Amazon Prime for Waymo”: $29.99/month for priority pickups, ~10% cashback, early access in new cities, and a few free cancellations.
- Many argue it offers little tangible value unless you already spend ≳$300/month on rides or are expensing travel.
- Some think the pricing is too low for a truly premium tier and that Waymo could have sold a much more expensive, high-end plan with bundled rides.
- “Early access in new cities” is viewed as a niche perk (business travelers, influencers) or even “evil” when locals can’t yet sign up.
Cost vs alternatives (cars, transit, Uber/Lyft)
- Long back-and-forth on monthly car ownership cost: some estimate $800–$1,200+ in big cities (loan/lease, parking, insurance, fuel, maintenance, tickets); others claim a few hundred with old used cars and DIY maintenance.
- Some argue a robust Waymo subscription could realistically replace car ownership in certain cities; others say that’s only viable in dense, wealthy urban cores.
- Public transit users point out that a monthly pass (e.g., BART/Muni) can be far cheaper than regular Waymo/Uber use, but much slower and less convenient.
- Waymo is reported as significantly more expensive than Uber at times (especially with surge), though some users have found it cheaper once tipping is factored in.
Safety, harassment, and “privacy”
- A major pro-Waymo theme: avoiding uncomfortable or dangerous human-driver encounters, especially for women and LGBTQ+ riders who report frequent harassment in taxis/rideshares.
- Others say they value spontaneous conversations with drivers and worry about tech-driven social isolation.
- The marketing claim of “privacy” draws criticism given the heavy in-car and external camera coverage; defenders say “privacy” here clearly means no unwanted human interaction.
- Some highlight use cases for people who can’t or don’t drive (disability, anxiety, lack of license), though others mock the idea of growing up carless in car-centric places.
Coverage, reliability, and technical issues
- Adoption is constrained by limited service areas, airport gaps, highway restrictions, and construction-related “can’t get to that spot” errors.
- Reported issues include: long pickup times in some areas, bizarre detours to avoid certain roads, and service pauses framed in-app as “all cars busy.”
- Several incidents are cited where Waymos blocked emergency services, drove into floodwaters, or got stuck in construction or opposing traffic lanes. Critics see these as serious safety risks; defenders counter that human drivers routinely do worse.
Social, class, and “enshittification” concerns
- Some see Premier as another example of subscription creep and “K-shaped” inequality: paying extra just to keep decent service while the base tier degrades.
- Commenters connect this to broader US patterns: premium lanes, loyalty tiers, and “elevated experiences” that repackage priority access as status.
- Debate over whether avoiding public transit is primarily a safety/convenience choice or also a class marker; experiences differ sharply by city.