Alphabet Inc‘s GOOG GOOGL autonomous driving tech unit Waymo will start charging for rides across San Francisco starting Monday, days after California greenlighted its service expansion.
What Happened: Pricing will be ‘competitive’ and ‘reasonable,’ a company spokesperson told Benzinga. Riders will be shown an estimated cost for their trip before accepting and it will be based on time and distance.
“During busier times, like nights and weekends, prices may be higher,” they said, hinting it will deploy surge pricing. However, the price will be based on the most direct route and will not change even if the vehicle reroutes.
The company has already informed its public riders via mail about this transition, the spokesperson said.
Why It Matters: Waymo and General Motors‘ Cruise received driverless deployment permit for 24×7 fared operation in San Francisco from the California Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 10. “With over 100,000 signups (and counting) on our waitlist, we expect demand will be incredibly high,” Waymo said in a statement on Friday after receiving the permit.
Until then, autonomous vehicle rides were available only in parts and during certain hours of the day. Waymo was mostly offering free service to customers in San Francisco.
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