Later this year, Atlantans will have the opportunity to summon a driverless Uber. Through a partnership with autonomous vehicle company Waymo, self-driving taxis will soon begin operating on public roads in the metro area, without a human at the wheel. (You may have already seen the Waymo test fleet around Atlanta mapping and learning the streets.)

While this may sound like a futuristic novelty, it is turning into a reality across the country. It’s important to distinguish between self-driving technology and driverless vehicles. Many cars on the road today feature advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as lane-keeping, adaptive cruise control, or Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems, which support the driver but still require human supervision. Driverless vehicles, on the other hand, operate without any human intervention. There is no one in the driver’s seat to take control in the event of a system failure. That lack of human oversight raises different questions about safety and responsibility.

Lower Crash Rates but in Limited Conditions

Waymo has studied National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, which they have concluded shows “statistically significant reductions in police-reported and any injury reported crash rates [that] indicate a promising positive safety impact” of their automated driving system (ADS) used in their driverless vehicles. These figures are used to support the argument that autonomous vehicles may reduce some of the most common risks on the road, such as speeding, distracted driving, or intoxication.

However, these safety statistics come with important caveats. Waymo’s vehicles currently operate only in urban settings with relatively mild climates — environments that are far more controlled than rural roads or icy interstates. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), crash rates are significantly higher in rural areas and colder climates. Atlanta’s dense urban grid may provide ideal testing grounds, but its unpredictable weather and variable traffic patterns will challenge the limits of self-driving technology.

Concerns of Driverless Technology

Despite their advanced design, including 360-degree environmental mapping with RADAR and LIDAR sensors, autonomous vehicles are still susceptible to software failures and misinterpretation of real-world conditions. In mid-May, Waymo recalled more than 1,200 vehicles following concerns from auto safety regulators that software glitches could cause some cars to crash into chains, gates, and other roadway obstructions.

And there have been other incidents: reports of self-driving vehicles circling airport terminals aimlessly, driving into closed construction zones, or veering into oncoming traffic. These examples illustrate a key concern: self-driving vehicles can only respond to what their sensors and algorithms recognize. When the environment doesn’t match the vehicle’s training data, miscalculations can occur with real consequences.

Good Isn’t Good Enough

For the public to trust driverless taxis, they must be safer, not merely equivalent, to human drivers and existing rideshare services. That means autonomous vehicles need faster reaction times, better hazard recognition, and more reliable decision-making than even the most cautious human behind the wheel. With no fallback option if the system fails, the burden of performance is much higher. Until the technology can consistently exceed human standards, caution and accountability will remain essential.

Regulatory Lag and Consumer Responsibility

As autonomous vehicle technology evolves, regulators are working to catch up, developing legal frameworks to guide the safe deployment of driverless rideshares. Unlike traditional vehicles, autonomous taxis raise complex and unresolved questions about liability, insurance coverage, and consumer protection. Currently, a fragmented patchwork of federal, state, and local laws governs the industry, with wide variations in standards and oversight due to the absence of consistent federal regulation in this new regulatory field.

For passengers, it’s important to understand the risks involved in choosing a driverless ride. While the technology continues to advance, oversight remains fragmented, and standards vary by state. For now, passengers should pay attention to safety updates from companies like Waymo, stay informed about regulatory developments, and know that not all accidents or claims will be straightforward in this new transportation landscape. Waymo’s entry into Atlanta is a major milestone in the future of urban mobility. But with that progress comes uncertainty and risk. While self-driving cars may someday reduce traffic fatalities and revolutionize commuting, we’re not there yet. Until technology and regulation catch up with ambition, it’s wise to stay cautious, informed, and prepared.