Waymo Charges Newborn 'Extra Rider' Fee After In-Car Birth, Waives Car Seat Violation

SAN FRANCISCO — Waymo defended its decision Tuesday to automatically charge a local couple an “Extra Rider Fee” after their son was born in the back seat of a Jaguar I-PACE, insisting that “a ride is a ride” regardless of when the passenger enters existence.

Sarah and David Miller were stuck in rush-hour traffic en route to UCSF Medical Center when Mrs. Miller gave birth to a healthy 7-pound boy. But instead of congratulations, the vehicle’s internal voice assistant interrupted the moment with a chime: *“Passenger count updated. An additional $4.50 has been added to your fare for an unregistered rider.”

“We were literally holding our newborn son, wiping tears from our eyes,” said David Miller, 34. “And suddenly the screen starts flashing red because the LiDAR detected a ’new biological entity’ that wasn’t on the original manifest. It flagged him as a fare evader before the umbilical cord was even cut.”

The couple’s itemized receipt lists a base fare, a surge pricing multiplier due to “Excessive Cabin Vibration,” a $250 “Amniotic Fluid & Bio-Matter” cleaning fee, and the disputed “Additional Occupant” surcharge.

Waymo doubled down on the charges, claiming they were consistent with their Terms of Service. However, the company highlighted its “corporate benevolence” by emphasizing they chose not to report the couple for a major safety violation.

“Technically, the new passenger was traveling unrestrained, which is a violation of California Vehicle Code 27360,” explained Chase Optima, Waymo’s VP of Revenue Experience. “But we decided to exercise extreme leniency. We waived the safety citation entirely to focus on the more pressing issue: fair compensation for carriage. We believe this demonstrates our commitment to being a family-friendly mobility partner.”

Optima claimed the vehicle’s sensors were initially confused by the sudden appearance of the infant, briefly categorizing the child as “sudden-onset luggage” before thermal imaging confirmed it was, in fact, a non-paying human.

“If we allow one passenger to undergo mitosis mid-ride without paying for the extra seat, it sets a dangerous precedent,” Optima added. “We have margins to maintain. Mass is mass.”

The company is now pivoting to capitalize on the niche market. On Wednesday, Waymo announced the upcoming beta launch of “Waymo Stork,” a premium tier designed for expectant parents. The service promises “wipe-down ready interiors” and a “Drive Fast, Don’t Ask” algorithm, though the company notes that surge pricing will be automatically triggered if the passenger’s contractions differ by less than three minutes.

As for the Millers, they are currently disputing the charges. Waymo has offered to settle the debt if the couple agrees to sign over the rights to the infant’s geolocation data for the next 18 years, and in a separate move, the newborn has already been banned for life from all Uber platforms due to a non-compete clause in Waymo’s User Agreement that he technically agreed to by being born in the car.