Trying Waymo Self-Driving Taxi: A Fun Experience in Phoenix AZ

In January 2025, I traveled to Phoenix, Arizona for my company’s Kickoff Event and took the opportunity to try Waymo self-driving taxi service for the first time. A lot of my colleagues from other cities in the US. were also very excited about trying Waymo’s fully autonomous rides. Over the course of four trips — ranging from a quick 7-minute hop to a 30-minute ride — I got to experience firsthand the promise of self-driving technology. Below, I’ll share my impressions, what went right, and where I think Waymo still has room to improve.

Phoenix is currently one of the only two cities in the US. where Waymo is operating. I think the road conditions in the city create an ideal environment for real-world trials of autonomous technology. Traffic is quite light, even in downtown, and I felt that people were driving quite responsibly. The grid-like layout of Phoenix also likely helps Waymo’s system navigate and map its surroundings more easily.

First Impressions

The Waymo car is a white Jaguar outfitted with autonomous driving hardware. The vehicle retains the sleek, somewhat coupe-like shape of the Jaguar. On the roof, there is a distinctive sensor “pod” and additional sensors/cameras are attached around the perimeter of the vehicle.

When my Waymo car pulled up to the curb, I received a friendly notification on my phone letting me know the car was there. Inside, I was pleasantly surprised by the little extras: there was an option to play music, and the app-based interface displayed my route in real time. Before the ride started, the system required everyone to buckle up. Then came the surreal moment: the driver’s seat was empty, and the steering wheel moved on its own.

On my first ride, I was definitely on edge. It was a strange feeling to watch the steering wheel turn on its own with no human intervention. By the second or third trip, though, I found myself more relaxing to the point where I occasionally forgot the car was driving itself.

I used Waymo both in the morning and evening with two shorter rides of about 7-10 minutes, and two longer ones around 30 minutes each. The car accelerated, braked, and turned smoothly. Left turns, right turns, and yields to pedestrians were all handled properly. Merging into traffic was comfortable most of the time.

Overall, the experience was enjoyable and the fare was slightly cheaper than a comparable Uber ride. The system seems robust enough to handle everyday conditions in a city with relatively light traffic.

I also experienced a pickup glitch when the car failed to arrive. It turned out that a previous passenger had not closed the door properly, leaving the Waymo stuck at its last stop. Customer service didn’t seem aware of this until I called. It would be great if Waymo had an automatic door mechanism. In Japan, taxi drivers can simply push the button to open or close the door for customers and we never need to touch the door.

At one point, when pulling out from the curb, Waymo cut in front of a slower-moving car behind us. There likely wasn’t any real danger, but I can imagine the other driver might have been startled.

My experience with Waymo self-driving taxis left me optimistic that fully autonomous rides could become an everyday reality sooner than we might think. Yes, there were still some hiccups, but the overall experience felt pretty smooth and safe.

If you find yourself in Phoenix, I highly recommend giving Waymo a try. Watching the wheel steer itself down the sunny streets of Arizona is a tech marvel in action! I’m looking forward to seeing how quickly this service expands and improves in the coming years.