Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Alphabet, may be testing a new feature that allows robotaxi passengers to add a “tip” after their ride, which would then be donated to a charity of their choice. Jane Manchun Wong, a security researcher known for uncovering unreleased tech features, discovered the feature while reverse-engineering Waymo’s Android app. Wong shared her findings in a post on X (formerly Twitter), showing a new option that lets riders select a charity from a dropdown menu after clicking an “add a ‘tip’” button.
Waymo, the driverless car company, is working on… “tipping” ⁉️ pic.twitter.com/Lh8Xexa7PZ
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) January 28, 2025
The feature seems to be in the experimental phase, as Waymo has yet to officially confirm its release. A company spokesperson stated, “We explore unreleased features as part of our internal innovation process, and do not comment on them.”
If the feature becomes available, it could provide riders with a way to contribute to charitable causes after using Waymo’s robotaxi services. The addition of a charity tipping option could also reflect the company’s commitment to exploring new ways of enhancing the rider experience while giving back to the community. However, it remains unclear when or if the feature will be officially launched to the public. This development adds to Waymo’s ongoing efforts to innovate within the autonomous vehicle space, offering users more options to personalize their rides.
