Link: Waymo is letting you tip — but there’s a catch

San Francisco-based security researcher, Jane Manchun Wong, uncovered an unreleased tipping feature in Waymo's app that hints at charity donations. Inside the feature, users are prompted to select a charity from a dropdown menu to donate their tip.

Wong, known for her ability to hack Waymo's technologies, found the feature through reverse engineering Waymo’s Android app. She believes it could be part of an April Fools' Day prank.

The "tip" feature initially raised concerns about tech companies exploiting customers. Yet, the feature guides users to contribute to charitable causes instead.

Some speculate that Waymo could be benefiting from tax breaks for collecting charitable donations. Nevertheless, public opinion about tipping robotaxis remains divided, with some users finding it unnecessary.

Despite some vandalism incidents and apprehension towards self-driving vehicles, Waymo's safety data continues to show that their cars are safer than human-driven ones. This hasn't yet swayed the 64% of AAA survey respondents who fear autonomous cars.

A Waymo spokesperson declined to comment on the findings. Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is still striving for profitability, having recently received a $5.6 billion investment from the parent company. #

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