Waymo tests Wi-Fi in driverless taxis hoping perks can route it past rivals

The Alphabet subsidiary is testing complimentary Wi-Fi in its robotaxis in greater Phoenix, where hundreds of the company's identical, driverless minivans have been carrying paying riders since December. In late April, Waymo launched ad-free music streaming for passengers through Google Play Music, its parent company's answer to Spotify and Apple Music.

Waymo also has appealed to families with non-tech perks: It has installed a child car seat in every minivan and ensures vehicles arrive cooled to a precise 2°C in Arizona's desert heat. The aim is persuading passengers that the company's ride service, dubbed Waymo One, is less stressful than driving their own cars or riding with its rivals. Chatty or sketchy drivers, and vehicles that vary in size and cleanliness, are top gripes among fans of ride-hailing apps.

"When I push the Waymo button I know exactly the product I'm buying," said Jordan Ranous, 26, a Phoenix bank analyst who said he takes four Waymo round trips each week. The city of Chandler, about 32km southeast of Phoenix, last month began allowing staffers to expense Waymo rides for work-related trips with an eye to boosting worker productivity.

Source: News Formal (newsformal.com)

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