SAN FRANCISCO — Waymo, the autonomous ride-hailing unit of Alphabet, said on Thursday it will begin offering an invite-only monthly subscription service priced at $29.99, giving frequent riders access to benefits including priority vehicle pickups and ride credits, according to the company.
The new program, called Waymo Premier, will initially be available to selected riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, three of the company’s most established markets. Waymo said it plans to invite tens of thousands of users to join the service during the initial rollout.
According to Waymo, Premier members will receive priority pickups designed to reduce waiting times, 10% cash back on rides in the form of ride credits, early access to service launches in new cities and up to five free ride cancellations per month. The company said rewards may increase during periods of high demand.
“We will initially offer Premier to riders in these cities, and will look to invite riders in more cities that use the Waymo app in the future,” a Waymo spokesperson said.
The subscription marks one of the clearest efforts by Waymo to develop recurring revenue from its growing robotaxi business as it expands operations in the United States. The benefits will not apply in cities where Waymo rides are currently booked through Uber, including Austin and Atlanta, a company spokesperson said.
Waymo said the membership is aimed at customers who rely on the service most frequently, including commuters. Sarah Paige Roland, a Phoenix rider cited by the company, said the added benefits would appeal to regular users. “Adding cash back and priority pickups on top of that makes Premier a no-brainer for someone like me,” she said.
The company has been expanding beyond partnership-based deployments and opening service in additional cities through its own app. Recent announcements have included plans to serve new U.S. markets where customers are expected to access rides directly through Waymo’s platform.
Industry competitors continue to pursue different strategies. Uber has promoted a model that combines human drivers and autonomous vehicles, while Waymo has focused on operating fully driverless ride-hailing services in selected markets.
As of Thursday, Waymo said Premier would remain invitation-only, with broader availability dependent on future expansion. Details on how quickly the program may be extended to additional cities remain unclear.
