Molly Fischer on Waymo, the Driverless Taxi Coming to a City Near You

Removing human drivers isn't only a cost-cutting strategy; Waymo riders prefer the solitude, the staff writer Molly Fischer says. A Waymo offers a unique experience: you ride as a passenger behind or next to an empty driver's seat, the steering wheel turning as though handled by a ghost. The staff writer Molly Fischer has been reporting on Waymo, and she tells David Remnick that though the statistics are hard to parse, Waymos appear to be safer than cars driven by humans. Fans of Waymo prefer not putting themselves in the temporary custody of a stranger, but, Fischer says, this appeal is precisely what makes Waymos' glitches scariest. Now that her reporting is done, Remnick wants to know: Would she take one of the robot taxis by choice?