A social media user identified as @WillCorg reported a recent experience with Waymo, a provider of autonomous ride-hailing services, where he was dropped off at an intersection instead of the emergency room entrance. This incident forced him to walk in severe pain and highlighted potential shortcomings in current robotaxi pickup rules for those requiring close access.
"I took a Waymo to the ER after having a kidney stone last week, and it dropped off in the middle of an intersection, roughly 1500 feet from the Phoenix Zoo drop off/pick up spot," said Corg, X user. "I had to walk in excruciating pain, while on the phone with customer service just to get another ride. To top it off, Waymo wouldn't even give me a refund. Next time I'll call an ambulance."
According to Waymo, its service operates as a fully autonomous ride-hailing option in metro areas such as Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The cars autonomously select pickup and drop-off locations they can "best navigate to," which may not align with the rider's preferred entrance. Official help pages from Waymo indicate that riders might need to walk some distance, potentially several minutes, even when settings are adjusted to minimize walking time. Reviews and first-person accounts have noted instances where riders were routed blocks away from their destinations, across wide intersections or busy streets—situations that can be inconvenient for healthy users and particularly challenging for those in pain or with limited mobility.
Waymo emphasizes its efforts towards accessibility by mentioning an accessibility network and a dedicated wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) service. However, advocacy comments clarify that its autonomous fleet does not yet include self-driving WAVs. According to Waymo’s help center, WAV rides are provided in manually driven vehicles for individuals with mobility-related disabilities who cannot use fully autonomous cars; these must be specially requested through the app. Disability-rights groups argue this setup leaves riders needing ramp-equipped, attendant-supported trips reliant on a separate and limited service while most robotaxi trips assume passengers can independently reach pickup spots and board vehicles—a scenario not feasible for many older adults or wheelchair users.
Public health data illustrate the challenges faced by many Americans regarding mobility issues that complicate long walks to pickup points or unassisted boarding. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) infographic indicates that 12.2% of U.S. adults have a mobility disability involving serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs, with about 1 in 7 adults reporting overall mobility limitations. Previous national estimates revealed that 61 million adults—approximately 1 in 4 Americans—live with a disability, with mobility being the most prevalent type affecting roughly 2 in 5 adults aged 65 and older. For these individuals, walking even short distances or carrying luggage from distant pullover spots poses significant barriers to safely and comfortably using services like Waymo.
Tekedra Nzinga Mawakana serves as co-chief executive officer of Waymo, an Alphabet-owned company originating from Google's self-driving car project. With a background in law, she previously held the position of chief operating officer at Waymo and has occupied senior roles at AOL, Yahoo!, eBay, along with board positions within technology and civil-society organizations. As co-CEO, Mawakana is responsible for overseeing company strategy and the commercialization of the "Waymo Driver," which aims to provide safer, more accessible, and sustainable transportation through fully autonomous ride-hailing services in cities including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, and Atlanta.
