Ride interruptions

Waymo Roadside Assistance is here to help if your autonomous ride is interrupted for any reason.

If your car stops unexpectedly while you’re riding along with an autonomous specialist, call Support and they'll make sure you get to your destination. They’ll either have the autonomous specialist take you the rest of the way, or send a replacement vehicle.

Waymo Roadside Assistance is here to help if your ride is interrupted

Waymo Roadside Assistance is a dedicated team of autonomous specialists who lend extra support to our fully autonomous cars. 

We monitor all of our active cars, and are always ready to send Roadside Assistance if the need arises. If your autonomous car stops for any reason and can’t continue on its own, Roadside Assistance will reach you within a few minutes and drive you to your destination.

In the unlikely case there’s an issue with the Waymo One car and Roadside Assistance can’t drive it, they’ll escort you to their car and drive you to your dropoff spot.

Spot Waymo Roadside Assistance by their vehicle and uniform

The team member who assists you will be wearing a yellow safety vest. You can find more information about them on your rider screen.

Why would my autonomous ride be interrupted?

Waymo’s autonomous driving system is designed to be cautious and defensive. Though unlikely, your car may need to safely come to a stop if it decides that’s the best thing to do.

Sometimes, the car just needs a moment to decide how to proceed. It may be able to determine the best course of action and start moving again on its own. 

Your ride could also be interrupted if there’s a mechanical issue, a flat tire, or a collision. No matter the reason, we’ll reach out immediately and send someone to help.

What to expect if your ride is interrupted

What should I do?

If your ride stops unexpectedly, stay in the car with your seat belt fastened. In the event of a collision, please stay in the car with your seat belt fastened, unless there is an urgent need to exit. Please don’t touch any controls inside the car, like the steering wheel, accelerator, or brake pedal.

Support will reach out soon, but you can always contact us through the in-car buttons or the app for immediate help.  

If we send Waymo Roadside Assistance, you’ll see this information on the passenger screen:

• Map location of the Roadside Assistance vehicle
• Picture and name of the Roadside Assistance specialist

What will Support do?

Support will immediately escalate the issue to get you moving again as soon as possible. 

1. You’ll get a call from us through the in-car speakers or your phone 
2. We’ll share more details and let you know if the car can continue on its own
3. If it can’t, Support will send Waymo Roadside Assistance and will stay on the line with you until they arrive

What will Roadside Assistance do?

Here’s what to expect with Roadside Assistance:

1. Roadside Assistance team members will reach you within a few minutes and park nearby
2. A team member will unlock the Waymo One car’s doors from outside (you might hear a clicking sound when they do this)
3. They’ll introduce themselves and hop in the driver’s seat
4. Then they’ll drive the Waymo One car to your dropoff spot (no need to tell them the address)

Roadside Assistance might also work with local law enforcement to place traffic cones around the Waymo One car and secure the area if needed. Once it’s safe to do so, they’ll approach the car and follow the steps above.

Trip interruptions FAQ

Is Roadside Assistance nearby during my autonomous ride?

Roadside Assistance is ready to assist at any moment. We dispatch the team as needed, and they’re usually within close reach of any fully autonomous car.

Do interruptions happen a lot? What are you doing to make it happen less?

Ride interruptions are infrequent. We look into each one to understand how we can improve the service for the future.

Why can’t someone just remotely take over driving?

Waymo One doesn’t operate any of its cars remotely — when in autonomous mode, the car is responsible for its own driving at all times.

What if I don’t want to wait for Roadside Assistance?

Please wait patiently with your seat belt buckled — we’ll be there to help in just a few minutes! Don’t sit in the driver’s seat or touch any of the car controls. Only our autonomous specialists can operate Waymo One cars.

Will Support or Roadside Assistance be aware of my accessibility needs?

Support will call you as soon as we see that your ride has been interrupted. If you have any accessibility needs you’d like us to be aware of, you can tell Support and we’ll be sure to let Roadside Assistance know.

What if I need extra help?

If you think you might need extra help walking to the Roadside Assistance vehicle or transferring your things, tell Support and we’ll make sure Roadside Assistance is aware.