My Shock After My First Experience With WAYMO

A sudden 3-day trip to the U.S. had me darting from Chicago to Boston, then from Hartford to Los Angeles, with time flying by in a blur. Well, since I approach these trips with the mindset of just “taking a stroll through” America, I didn’t really mind—but still, it was quite a whirlwind.

The final highlight of this whirlwind of a stroll was my first experience with WAYMO. On Friday night, I was having dinner at Watergrill in Santa Monica with the president of a company and a 24-year-old new hire. As we chatted, the young staffer suddenly started talking about AI. He then proceeded to give us a mini lecture on the cutting-edge uses of AI in the U.S.

His demeanor was that of a typical American, and it was refreshing to hear him speak so freely and confidently, without the slightest hesitation.

During that conversation, two things stood out. First, there was the robot assistant released by Elon Musk’s Tesla. It’s a human-shaped robot that not only does everything for you, but it can also converse and communicate with you. It’s truly a surprising leap in evolution. What seemed like a dream robot is now becoming a reality. It might even make its way to Japan soon.

Then, the topic shifted to driverless taxis. I already knew that Tesla had achieved fully hands-free, level-4 autonomous driving, and that many Americans are riding in cars without touching the steering wheel. However, I didn’t realize that even taxis had become autonomous. Essentially, you call a taxi, set your destination, and get in, but the twist is—it’s driverless. While at the dinner table, I was urged to "give it a try!" and, of course, I couldn’t refuse. After all, it’s all about the experience.

The next day was the day of my return. After checking out of the hotel, I downloaded the WAYMO app and learned how to use it through the website. After picking out my destination, just like with Uber, it said the car would arrive in 4 minutes. While conjuring up some courage, I pressed "OK". And then... to my surprise, a driverless taxi actually arrived in front of the hotel. When I pressed the unlock button on the app, the door unlocked, and I had to open it myself to get in! Wow, this was incredible! Then, after sitting down and fastening my seatbelt, I noticed a "START" button on the screen in front of me. I pressed it, and the car started moving.

Once it started, the driving experience was just like a normal, comfortable ride. When pedestrians crossed at a crosswalk, the car slowed down in advance, and when the road was clear, it accelerated to its maximum speed. What surprised me was that the car could see ahead for dozens of meters. When my lane was congested, it would immediately change lanes. Everything was smooth and comfortable. And before I knew it, the 40-minute ride was over, and I had arrived at the airport. In the end, I just got out of the car and said goodbye.

Hmmm… Japan has fallen behind. To make driverless taxis a reality, Japan's road conditions pose too many problems. It feels almost too late to catch up. One might even think that Japan is doomed, as there are so many challenges ahead. There seems to be no drive to break through those challenges and reform the situation in Japan. Technologies like autonomous taxis in the U.S. could serve as a catalyst for Japan's revival. I hope that one day Japan will catch up and surpass the rest—this is my dream for Japan. It feels like we've regressed to the early Showa Era. But, let's keep moving forward with everything we’ve got!