Although this is currently being billed as an extended public trial for only Waymo One riders, the fully driverless taxi service will open up soon to anyone downloading the app.
Robo-taxi health and safety coronavirus policies
The COVID-19 pandemic reduced the demand for all ride-hailing services. Before the coronavirus struck, Waymo was providing 1,000 to 2,000 rides weekly. And only 5% to 10% of those were without a human back-up driver. All driverless rides required passengers to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
Waymo is outfitting all their vehicles with barriers between the front row and the back passenger seating for the sake of hygiene and safety.
A mask-wearing policy is strictly enforced. The company confirms with interior car cameras that masks are being worn. If no mask is detected, the Waymo support team will give the rider a reminder call before the car heads out.
All vehicles are also equipped with an enhanced air circulation feature to aid in removing germs that other riders may have left behind.
