There’s a strange calm that settles over a vehicle when there’s no one in the driver’s seat. No one tapping the brake too hard. No one chatting on the phone or blasting music. Just the quiet hum of an electric motor and a route guided entirely by machine logic. For anyone who has ever cringed at a reckless merge or muttered at a red-light runner, the idea of a robotaxi might feel like overdue salvation. But in practice, the experience turns out to be a little more layered—and a lot more human than expected.
The Route Less Human
In San Francisco, where robotaxis are becoming part of the urban scenery, hailing one through Waymo’s app feels almost routine—until you open the door and realize there’s no one behind the wheel. That moment never quite loses its uncanny edge.
The car, a sleek electric Jaguar I-PACE, greets passengers with ambient music—something out of a luxury spa playlist. It’s relaxing, sure, but the tension creeps back in when the vehicle makes its first move: a left turn across busy traffic. There’s no steering wheel twitch from a nervous hand, no instinctive eye contact with another driver. Just calculated motion through an invisible decision tree.
Despite some initial tight maneuvers that echo a seasoned New York cabbie, the rest of the ride is notably smooth. The vehicle stops for pedestrians, obeys speed limits, and never once cuts corners. The onboard display shows a ghostly map of the car’s surroundings: gray shapes for people, other vehicles, even traffic cones. That kind of constant awareness is oddly reassuring, especially in a city where drivers often ignore the presence of a crosswalk entirely.
Longer Routes, Higher Costs
While the ride quality earns points, efficiency takes a small hit. The robotaxi chooses routes based on a blend of construction data, traffic flow, and perhaps its own digital caution. What should have been a direct 2-mile trip stretched to nearly 3, taking 17 minutes and costing over $20—not a price one would eagerly pay without reimbursement or a concert ticket waiting on the other end.
Subsequent rides only reinforced the price tag. Three short trips added up to nearly $50. For comparison, a traditional ride-share for a similar distance later that day came in under $11, including tip. The tradeoff between cost and comfort is hard to ignore.
A Different Kind of Safety
For some, however, the premium isn’t just about traffic precision or AI smoothness. It’s about personal safety. Many women, trans individuals, and marginalized riders have found peace of mind in knowing there’s no driver to leer, question, or harass. There’s no pressure to make small talk, no judgment, no social awkwardness.
But that doesn’t make robotaxi rides entirely invulnerable to human interference. One incident in San Francisco saw a woman’s ride blocked by two men demanding her number. While she was able to contact Waymo support from the console, the fact remains: technology can’t fully shield riders from societal behavior. It can only change the setting.
The Solitude Dilemma
For those who cherish solitude after a draining day, the robotaxi offers a retreat—a private bubble in a noisy city. No driver asking how the day went. No forced conversation. Yet there’s also a quiet loss in that silence.
A chat with a driver—a joke, a bit of shared local gossip—can sometimes be the only real human interaction in an otherwise digital day. While the robotaxi never judges, it also never laughs. It doesn’t connect. And that matters, especially in a world inching ever closer to isolation by convenience.
Also read: The Electric Revolution: How EV Maintenance is Transforming Auto Repair Shops
More Than Just a Ride
Choosing a robotaxi isn’t just about going from point A to point B. It’s a small but meaningful decision in how people interact with a changing world. It can mean opting for security over spontaneity, solitude over connection, or technology over tradition.
What’s clear is that the future of transportation won’t be defined just by speed, efficiency, or innovation. It’ll be shaped by how individuals choose to navigate their need for safety, comfort, and human connection, even when no one is sitting in the driver’s seat.
