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Waymo Launches Teen Accounts for Solo Robotaxi Rides in Phoenix

Linked to parents’ Waymo One profiles with live tracking and access to specially trained remote operators, the pilot reflects a major reversal of the company’s previous ban on unaccompanied minors.

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A Waymo robotaxi on the street in Phoenix and a teenage girl walking away from it.
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Overview

  • Waymo teen accounts allow unaccompanied 14- to 17-year-olds in Phoenix to hail driverless cars under linked parental profiles.
  • Parents can monitor trips in real time through location sharing and contact specially trained remote operators available around the clock.
  • The program reverses Waymo’s prior policy barring minors under 18 from solo rides and aligns the company with competitors like Uber.
  • While live only in metropolitan Phoenix, Waymo has not set a timeline for expansion but may extend teen access through network partnerships.
  • The launch addresses declining teen driver licensing rates and aims to broaden autonomous mobility options for families.