EVwire brief: Waymo has launched Waymo Premier, an invite-only membership program for its most frequent riders priced at $29.99 per month.
Members get priority pickups through prioritized vehicle matching, 10% Waymo Cash back on every trip (and more during busy times), early access to Waymo in new cities, and up to five free cancellations per month.
The program is initially offered to select riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, with Waymo saying it will scale Premier to more cities where its app is available in the future.
Here's Waymo’s announcement on X:
Waymo Chief Product Officer Saswat Panigrahi celebrated the new program in a post on X:
“You spoke, and we listened! Excited to introduce Waymo Premier as an invite-only membership program designed for our most fervent riders. The benefits are directly informed by what you value most from your travels with us, and we're sure Premier membership will elevate your ride experience. Keep an eye on your app for your invite!”
Premier is Waymo's first membership program, and it lands as the robotaxi operator pushes an aggressive expansion. The company now provides about 500,000 paid rides per week across 10 US metropolitan areas, and it recently acquired Apple's former Arizona proving ground for $220 million as it builds out testing capacity.
Apple’s retired Project Titan proving ground in AZ was acquired by Waymo for $220 million
Context:
The early-access perk is arguably the most interesting one. Giving Premier members first dibs in new markets seeds every launch city with experienced riders who already know how the service works.
Waymo also shared a rider's take on the program in its announcement.
“I never got my driver's license, and I rely on Waymo to commute to an office every day. I get privacy, time back, a safe ride, and I'm not obligated to talk to someone that I don't want to talk to. Adding cash back and priority pickups on top of that makes Premier a no-brainer for someone like me.”
Waymo has started the rollout of its Ojai robotaxis, which are produced by Zeekr and optimized for comfort and accessibility
Source: Waymo blog
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