Self-Driving Cars In Bismarck: Are They Coming & Should They?

While on a much-needed trip to a warmer state, I noticed something strange on nearly every street.

I recently went to Scottsdale, Arizona, for a fun getaway, and I couldn't help but notice that every few minutes, a strange car would drive past me. It had a weird, black device on top of the roof, and a ton of what I could only assume were sensors.

I was told they are Waymo cars, which, if you don't know, are self-driving. That's right, these cars drive themselves. After learning this, I told myself, okay, I have to try one of them before I leave.

I downloaded the app, set my trip, and off I went.

Let me give you the rundown of what I learned from riding, and some of the questions I've been asked since.

Everything You Want To Know About Riding

1. The app is free.

2. The cost of my ride was fixed at $20, though I imagine that can vary from city to city and with distance.

3. The car only waits 5 minutes. If you're not ready, the ride will cancel and move on without you. If you dilly dally, you will be out of luck. Something else to note, you can schedule a ride in advance. Yep, you can make reservations.

4. You can't just open the door. You have to push an "unlock doors" button in the app. This is actually a pretty nice feature, as it prevents random people from stealing your scheduled ride.

5. Oh, the car? Mine was a Jaguar. Fully electric. Very fancy.

6. Very calm and relaxing music is playing in the car. It's kind of like elevator music, but I believe the app allows you to change the music to something else in their playlist.

7. If you take off your seatbelt, it will give you a warning that it will stop the car if you aren't buckled.

8. No, you can't talk to the car; it won't have conversations with you. However, the car will talk to you at the end of the ride, reminding you to grab your phone, wallet and keys.

(Also Read: Are We About To Lose An Iconic Bismarck Gas Station?)

9. It is my understanding that these cars for a time did not go on highways and interstates, but according to Waymo.com, they have changed this in select cities, like Phoenix, where I visited. That said, we never needed to exceed 40 mph during my ride. If we had, I might've been a little nervous, but I was very unbothered and comfortable during the ride. No scaries, no close calls.

10. In order to schedule a car, you have to be 18 or older, and no, you cannot smoke in the car or partake in any funny business, as there are microphones and cameras inside the car.

11. No, you don't get locked in the car. You can add stops, and you are able to exit the car at your scheduled destination without any issue. I believe there are other options for emergency bathroom breaks or other important situations.

12. The coolest part? I think the most impressive things about the ride, were how quick and sharp its movements were; it seemed to do pretty challenging maneuvers with ease. It also took us to the best, most accessible part of the parking lot/front door.

13. No, you don't have to tip.

14. No, you can't sit in the driver's seat or touch the car controls. You can sit in every other available seat.

So, that was my experience riding in a Waymo. Now, the question at hand is, should we get some of these in Bismarck-Mandan? My opinion: I say, absolutely. I thought it was fun, futuristic, and honestly, pretty convenient.

Do we have any plans to do so at this time? - I looked and couldn't find anything indicating that they are coming just yet, but maybe they should be. What do you think? Send me a message in our app.