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Waymo robotaxis have a few easter eggs to look out for during your Fourth of July ride

Waymo robotaxis have a few easter eggs to look out for during your Fourth of July ride

Waymo is tweaking the in-car experience to get into the festive spirit for the Fourth of July.

Waymo with an American flag
Waymo is celebrating the Fourth of July with custom wraps and in-car experiences.
  • Waymo makes slight adjustments to the in-car experience to celebrate holidays.
  • For the Fourth of July, the company is deploying themed wrapped cars and a custom in-car display.
  • Waymo has surprised riders before for holiday celebrations, including an April Fool's joke.

Waymo's robotaxis are getting festively patriotic for America's Independence Day this weekend.

On the Fourth of July, riders will be greeted with a freshly tweaked in-car experience, with fireworks displayed on the passenger screen of their Waymo.

A gif showing Waymo's in-passenger screen.
Waymo will be tweaking the in-car passenger screen to display Fourth of July-themed greetings.

The company will also program the vehicle icon on the screen to display stars above the robotaxi, along with a small fireworks animation.

A gif of the Waymo in-car passenger screen.
Waymo can tweak what's displayed on the in-car passenger screen to change the user experience.

It's part of an ongoing tradition at Waymo to make lighthearted adjustments to the user experience during holidays as the company scales its robotaxi service to more customers.

On April 1, for April Fools' Day, Waymo programmed its robotaxis to prank riders by having the in-car automated voice system ask passengers to hum a tune before the start of their ride.

For July 4, Waymo has also deployed robotaxis with an American-flag-themed wrap. A Waymo spokesperson did not say how many robotaxis will have the wrap, but said some are in DC, where the company is conducting tests and has yet to deploy a commercial public service.

Waymo with American flag wrap
Some Waymos will have a wrap inspired by the American flag.

In a statement, Waymo said July 4 can be one of the deadliest times of the year on US roads. The National Safety Council estimates that more than 400 people could die on Independence Day, in part because alcohol consumption is involved on the holiday.

Some research has shown that ride-hailing services can cut alcohol-related traffic deaths. A study from the National Bureau of Economics Research published in 2021 showed that the Uber platform reduced overall traffic fatalities in the US by 4% and alcohol-related traffic deaths by over 6%.

"Independence is at the heart of the 4th of July, and we help riders claim theirs every single day," Heather Aijian, Waymo's head of public affairs, said in a statement to Business Insider. "Waymo is proud to provide the ultimate designated driver — the world's most experienced Driver that never gets tired, distracted, or has one too many."

Read the original article on Business Insider