Soon, parents within range of a Waymo robotaxi may not have to worry about picking up their kids from after-school activities — ever, in fact.
According to the San Francisco Standard, Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo is considering a subscription program that would allow teenagers to independently hail Waymo vehicles and send pick-up and drop-off notifications to their parents. In an investigation, Waymo called the program “Waymo Teen” and offered a price of $150 to $250 per month for up to 16 rides.
“We have been exploring the possibility of allowing approved teens access. [Waymo] “They have been tested under parental supervision and have seen encouraging feedback from our research in this area,” a Waymo spokesperson told TechCrunch.
Waymo isn't the only ride-hailing company turning to teenagers to boost profits: Last year, Uber began matching 13- to 17-year-olds with highly-rated drivers in its network. The child's legal guardian must consent, after which the parent will receive notifications about the child's location during the ride.