Skip to content

America’s Kids Deserve Better Than a Waymo Subscription

What do America's young people lose when they have to buy independence from a corporation that rents out driverless cars?

Autonomous vehicle giant Waymo is starting to experiment with subscription packages for teens — including those too young to drive. But as America’s kids gain high-tech motorized independence, what will they lose in exchange? 

Today on the Brake, host Kea Wilson goes solo for an informal chat about the debate over driverless cars as a youth mobility solution, whether autonomous vehicles will even further isolate young people from their communities and the dangers of relying on corporations for our basic human needs.

Along the way, Wilson touches on teen driving safety, the concept of “bump-ability,” and why parents are scared to let their kids outside on their own, even if they’re not particularly worried about car crashes. 

For an unedited transcript of this podcast (with typos,) click here.

Comments Are Temporarily Disabled

Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.

Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.

More from Streetsblog USA

Push Grows To Move Parking Enforcement From NYPD To DOT

April 13, 2026

Can This Tool Predict Where Your City’s Next Car Crash Will Happen?

April 13, 2026

Monday’s Headlines Show the True Cost of Climate Change

April 13, 2026

Friday Video: RIP, The D.C. Streetcar

April 10, 2026

You’re Authorized to Read Friday’s Headlines

April 10, 2026
See all posts