cheaper fares is a really big deal. if you can deliver the same service 30% cheaper with 20% higher profit margins, that's massive. driver pay is a significant component of cost so cutting it is pretty massive.

I guess, but if I'm getting a taxi, replacing a human with a computer is not a huge benefit to me, as I'm already not driving. If I'm driving myself to work every day, replacing that repetitive and boring task with a computer is a huge user benefit and thus I'd be more willing to pay and at a higher price for the tech.

I just think that's the only real way to make this thing pay off. Also potentially it might work for long haul trucking.

the benefit to the user isn't the computer, it's lower cost. the bushes model makes sense because you can lower user cost while increasing profit

The benefit absolutely is the safer computer driver. I'd pay more for that.

Maybe? Not that I use Uber/Lyft/taxis much but, when I do, I of course prefer them to be cheaper but +/- 30% pricing pretty much wouldn't affect if I take them or not. It's still a significant premium relative to driving myself at home and, if I'm traveling, I may not have much of a choice.

> but +/- 30% pricing pretty much wouldn't affect if I take them or not

But it's enough to prefer Waymo over Uber and that's all it takes.

if +/-30% pricing isn't significant, then the benefit isn't lower fares, it's higher profits for the company operating the cars. either way you slice it, not having to pay drivers would be a significant win for a taxi company.

Not necessarily if the technology (both development and hardware cost) to replace the drivers costs enough. I don't doubt it will get there someday but Waymo certainly isn't making money off current riders.

License it to who? If they prove the model then investors will be lining up to give them the capital to expand.

Car manufacturers and trucking companies.

> Seems like they need to license this tech to have it payoff.

Seems like that's the plan. Volvo and some other car OEMs are using Android on the dashboard. A total package of infotainment, autonation, and the cloud services behind the in-vehicle systems is a likely destination for this and other products than can be sold into cars at the OEM or end-user level.