Learning to live with Waymos

Before having a chance to ride in a Waymo, the author had pondered the purpose of the steering wheel. Typically, safety standards assume cars have steering wheels, which led to Waymo retrofitting regular cars with self-driving technology. However, the author wondered if the wheel served a deeper role than merely fulfilling legal requirements.

Megan Neese, Waymo's Head of Insights, expressed curiosity about whether passengers would react positively or negatively to the independent movement of the wheel. Surprisingly, Neese observed that riders found the turning wheel reassuring, as it conveyed that the car's actions were recognizable and ongoing. The wheel simultaneously reassured and unnerved the passengers, providing a sense of both familiarity and wonder.

As Waymo aims to take over the world, the company's fleet of over four thousand cars in fifteen U.S. cities, including San Francisco, where it has surpassed Lyft in market share, represents its intended message of being ready for a future with autonomous vehicles.