Let’s be real, parenting a teenager can be exhausting. The mood swings, the constant rides to hangouts, the never-ending chorus of “can you pick me up?” Waymo may have just given parents across Phoenix the greatest gift of all: fewer car rides with their teens.
The company has launched Waymo teen accounts, a new feature that lets kids aged 14 to 17 ride alone in fully driverless cars across 315 square miles of Metro Phoenix. No chauffeur duty, no awkward silences, no hearing them mumble about how you don’t understand TikTok. Just peace.
Parents link their teen’s account to their own, allowing them to monitor trips in real time, receive digital receipts, and rest easy knowing a specially trained Rider Support team can step in if things go sideways. And yes, if your kid’s phone dies, you’ll still know exactly where they are.
This is not just tech for tech’s sake. Waymo says it’s about providing safe independence to teens and convenience to parents. And honestly? It sounds like a win-win. Teens get the freedom they crave, and parents get back their evenings.
Crystal Whitlatch, a parent from Chandler, Arizona, called it “a really great experience” for her daughter Mikaylee. “It gives her some autonomy and makes her less dependent on family members.” Mikaylee agreed: “It’s convenient because it lets me go to the places I want. Before, if I didn’t have a ride, I’d have to miss it.” In teen-speak, that’s basically poetry.
For single mom Kseniya Schminke, Waymo is more than a ride, it’s backup. “My husband passed away, so it’s all me. I think of Waymo as my partner to help get everyone where they need to go.”
Waymo isn’t promising to eliminate all teen drama. But it is offering a hands-free solution to one of the most draining parts of parenting: being your kid’s personal Uber driver. And let’s be honest, folks, if a robot wants to take that job off your hands, why not let it?
The program is currently limited to the Phoenix area, but Waymo says expansion to other cities is on the roadmap. Parents who want their teens to stop texting “u up?” just to ask for a ride can visit waymo.com/teens to get started.
Sure, bonding time in the car can be special. But so is not hearing them complain about your music choices for the fiftieth time. Thanks, Waymo.
