Waymo has started offering teen accounts for families in Phoenix as it works to expand its user base and entrench young riders in the autonomous life.
Waymo’s teen accounts will be similar to those offered by Uber, which also allows parents to make teen accounts in Phoenix and other cities across the country. Parents in Metro Phoenix can link a profile to their Waymo One accounts for teenagers aged 14 to 17. The teens will then be able to order their own rides and share trip status with parents.
Opening up autonomous vehicles to ferry kids could bring peace of mind to some parents who might otherwise balk at putting their child into a car alone with another adult, even though ride-hail companies like Uber say they pair teens with highly rated, safe drivers. And in states like California, where ride-hail drivers who transport kids are required to get fingerprinted, AVs could remove some of the red tape.
That is, if parents trust the safety of an AI-driven car.
Other safety concerns come to mind when imagining teenagers riding in cars alone. While Uber and Lyft say they train their drivers to spot human trafficking, sexual abusers have been able to bypass the system to transport minors.
TechCrunch asked Waymo how it’s able to confirm that the teenager who is linked to an adult’s account is part of that family, as well as what steps the company takes if other riders enter the vehicle with the teenager.
A Waymo spokesperson did not respond to the first query. He did say that safety is Waymo’s top priority, as evidenced by the specially trained support agents available to assist kids during their rides 24/7, who might reach out to parents for additional support if needed.
In a press release, Waymo emphasized that providing teens with a safer mode of transportation via robotaxis would help address the higher risk of traffic accidents that teenagers face.
While Waymo is starting in Phoenix, the company said it would expand teen accounts into cities outside of California wherever the Waymo app is available. Aside from Los Angeles and the Bay Area, Waymo operates a commercial robotaxi service via the Uber app in Austin and Atlanta, and plans to launch in Miami this year and Washington, D.C., in 2026.
A spokesperson said Waymo may consider enabling access for teens through “network partners” like Uber in the future.
