I wonder how much money they make per trip. If they were to simply stop R&D, would they be profitable on a per trip basis? (Are they covering wear and tear on the vehicles, server costs for the app, etc.)
I've been using it and I really like it. The cars are always clean and comfortable, you can choose the music, and you don't need to talk to anyone. A couple bucks more than Lyft/Uber though, and there was one time it got stuck negotiating a two way one lane road when another car was coming, but people have trouble with that situation too.<p>The first time you take a ride in one is really amazing, it really makes you think "I'm living in the future." I recommend anyone visiting SF take one.
The scaling is really picking up.<p>50k in May 10
<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/10/24153570/50000" rel="nofollow">https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/10/24153570/50000</a><p>10k August 2023
<a href="https://waymo.com/blog/2023/08/waymos-next-chapter-in-san-francisco/" rel="nofollow">https://waymo.com/blog/2023/08/waymos-next-chapter-in-san-fr...</a>
In June a related Forbes article projected 50M in revenue in 2024.
<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2024/06/17/a-robotaxi-business-is-a-dream-for-elon-muskbut-already-a-reality-for-waymo/" rel="nofollow">https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2024/06/17/a-robota...</a>
<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradtempleton/2024/08/20/waymos-6th-generation-robotaxi-is-cheaper--how-cheap-can-they-go/" rel="nofollow">https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradtempleton/2024/08/20/waymos...</a>
I work in map annotation for waymo for europe and a lot of work is coming lately. they pay good bonuses for overtime. I suspect this is just the beginning of the scaling process.
<a href="https://nitter.poast.org/Cliff_Banks/status/1825922808465015124" rel="nofollow">https://nitter.poast.org/Cliff_Banks/status/1825922808465015...</a><p>Assuming these users are real people, it seems notable that spontaneously someone replying includes an example Waymo having to send out support to remove some cones in a parking lot so the car could move.<p>I have been wondering how long these programs continue to be funded without some change in the interest rates and overall investment climate, because it really seems like just a cursory analysis of these various self-driving car programs does not reveal something profitable in near-term, especially as they get larger they are going to run into what I call the "city bus" problem, where people leave garbage and other really disgusting messes in the vehicle.