SAN FRANCISCO — Waymo announced the launch of Waymo Premier, an invite-only monthly membership program. The program costs $29.99 per month and is initially being offered to select riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.
Waymo Premier provides members with priority ride pickups, a 10 percent cash back reward on every trip, and early access to service in new cities where the company operates. Members also receive up to five free ride cancellations each month. These benefits apply across the 10 cities where it currently operates.
The company stated that the program's price and benefits were designed based on direct rider feedback. It surveyed current users regarding a potential subscription service, evaluating monthly pricing options between $9.99 and $29.99. Internal data from the company indicates that users are willing to pay higher fares for autonomous rides compared to traditional ridehailing services.
Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana stated, "When you talk about the economics, we are a premium service. People are paying for the consistency and the safety of the Waymo driver and the Waymo service."
The company does not offer Waymo Premier in Austin or Atlanta, as its service in those locations operates exclusively through the Uber app. The company expects to operate in 20 cities by the end of 2026. It earlier this year raised $16 billion in funding. Uber offers its Uber One membership program for $9.99, reporting over 50 million subscribers in May.
Previous reports from Obi indicated that its fares were 30 to 40 percent higher than human-operated ridehailing services, but recent price adjustments reduced them to approximately 12 to 13 percent higher. The company's current fleet utilizes Jaguar SUVs.
No independent assessment was available for this report.