Waymo's new iPhone app lets some users order self-driving taxis

Waymo One is now one.

It's been one year since the self-driving taxi service opened for public (but still very limited) rides in a geofenced part of the Phoenix area. Its fleet of Chrysler Pacifica minivans and other autonomous vehicles just hit more than 100,000 rides.

To celebrate, Waymo One is now on the App Store, available for download for any iPhone user. But to actually order and ride the robo-taxis in Arizona, you still have to get on a waitlist. If you want to take a ride, you'll have to be based in the right part of the Phoenix suburbs, known as the East Valley.

For the past year, only pre-approved riders got access to the exclusive Waymo One app after signing up for the waitlist. At first, only 400 early riders could use the autonomous minivans, but it eventually opened up to more than 1,000 users. Now there's more than 1,500 monthly active riders. In April, Android users could download the app from the Google Play store, but that also was just another way to get on the waitlist.

Waymo is a spinoff of Google that's owned by the Alphabet, the same parent company as the search giant, so the Google preferences make sense. Earlier this year, the self-driving cars started streaming Google Play Music with eight different playlists available for listening in the backseat.

Once you're officially part of the car service you can order cars through the app in a fashion similar to requesting a ride on Uber, Lyft, or other ride-sharing apps. You set up payment through the app and can track your ride progress on it as well. Additionally, there are backseat screens in the cars that also show you information about your ride.

Even though safety operators are still in the front seats for most rides, Waymo is preparing riders for a fully autonomous experience. Recently, the company started offering a small group of early riders in Phoenix a driverless Waymo experience. As far as bringing Waymo One to additional cities, Waymo's website states, "[We] hope to expand to more people and places over time."

For rides already happening, Waymo found most rides are in the late afternoon and evening. Waymo One is hailed for date nights, shopping trips, gym visits, commutes to school and work, and the usual errands and hangouts.

But as cool as all that is, one truth still remains. Just because the car service is available in app form across devices now doesn't mean you'll be riding autonomously to work anytime soon.