Unfortunately I’ve only used it a few times in SF, but I would really love that. I don’t prefer human drivers much anymore (like I want to use self checkout at a grocery store). I’m going to Beijing in a couple of weeks and hope to try whatever they have going on there.

From a quick search, you might need a local to book it, i.e. register the journey with the state apparatus.

(This is a city where buying a simple 40¢ metro ticket requires showing identification.)

It’s really not that hard to buy a metro ticket. But we pay/alipay will make it easier, or I could just get a couple of IC cards that have been around since forever.

This amuses me, because if you’re going to Beijing you can just use the way-better-than-America public transportation.

Not always and not everywhere. I lived in Beijing for 9 years on a subway line (well, after line 10 opened) that would have taken me almost straight to work, but it was so packed I still took a taxi. Maybe the extra lines/capacity makes it more comfortable now, but it wasn’t Tokyo when I was living there.

Beijing: “I could take the train but the public transit is so useful and frequent that it’s crowded so I took a taxi :’(“

My medium sized American city: “what train? What bus? What taxi?