Waymo launches a loyalty program with 10% cash back and free cancellations

Waymo 推出会员忠诚计划：提供 10% 现金返还及免费取消服务

Waymo is launching a loyalty program called Waymo Premier, which will offer frequent robotaxi riders a number of perks in exchange for $29.99 per month. Premier members will be able to skip the virtual line and earn 10% cash back on every trip (and “even more during busy times,” according to Waymo). They’ll also get five free ride cancellations every month, and Waymo says Premier members will even be able to hail a robotaxi in cities where the service still has a waitlist.

Waymo 正在推出一项名为“Waymo Premier”的忠诚计划。用户每月支付 29.99 美元，即可为频繁乘坐自动驾驶出租车的乘客提供多项福利。Premier 会员将能够跳过虚拟排队，并在每次行程中获得 10% 的现金返还（据 Waymo 称，在繁忙时段返还比例更高）。此外，会员每月还可享受五次免费取消行程的机会。Waymo 表示，即使在仍有候补名单的城市，Premier 会员也能优先叫到自动驾驶出租车。

Waymo Premier will not be available to riders in Austin or Atlanta, the company told TechCrunch, because its robotaxis are only available via the Uber app in those cities. The loyalty program is launching as Waymo ramps up its expansion in the U.S., and prepares for an international launch later this year. Waymo is also starting to roll out its newest vehicle, the Zeekr-built van that it calls “Ojai,” in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco.

Waymo 向 TechCrunch 表示，奥斯汀或亚特兰大的乘客将无法使用 Waymo Premier，因为在这些城市，其自动驾驶出租车仅通过 Uber 应用程序提供服务。此次推出忠诚计划正值 Waymo 加速在美国扩张并准备于今年晚些时候进军国际市场之际。同时，Waymo 也开始在洛杉矶、凤凰城和旧金山投放其最新车型——由极氪（Zeekr）制造、代号为“Ojai”的厢式车。

The Premier program could also be the start of a new line of business for Waymo as it scales. The company’s biggest partner, Uber, has built a sizable revenue-generator with its own program, Uber One. The ride-hail giant said in May that more than 50 million people now pay $9.99 per month (or $96 per year) for a membership. In exchange, Uber offers perks like 10% off of Uber Eats orders or hotel bookings, waived delivery fees, and other third-party discounts and promotions.

随着业务规模的扩大，Premier 计划也可能成为 Waymo 新业务线的开端。Waymo 最大的合作伙伴 Uber 已经通过其 Uber One 计划创造了可观的收入。这家网约车巨头在五月份表示，目前已有超过 5000 万人支付每月 9.99 美元（或每年 96 美元）的会员费。作为回报，Uber 提供诸如 Uber Eats 订单或酒店预订 9 折优惠、免除配送费以及其他第三方折扣和促销活动等福利。

Loyalty programs are an even bigger business for airlines. The four biggest U.S. airlines would have each operated at a loss in 2024 if not for their money-printing memberships. The airlines have also shown how loyalty programs can provide value beyond the revenue they generate: During the pandemic, many of them used the programs as collateral to back emergency loans from the federal government.

对于航空公司而言，忠诚计划的业务规模更为庞大。如果不是依靠这些“印钞机”般的会员计划，美国四大航空公司在 2024 年都将陷入亏损。航空公司也展示了忠诚计划在创造收入之外的价值：在疫情期间，许多航空公司将这些计划作为抵押品，以获得联邦政府的紧急贷款。

Waymo said it arrived at the $29.99 monthly price and accompanying perks after considering “direct feedback from our riders on what they want out of a membership.” While it may be three times the cost of Uber One, rider data has shown that people are willing to pay more for Waymo robotaxis than for traditional ride-hail options.

Waymo 表示，在确定 29.99 美元的月费及配套福利之前，他们参考了“乘客对于会员权益需求的直接反馈”。虽然这一价格可能是 Uber One 的三倍，但乘客数据显示，人们愿意为 Waymo 自动驾驶出租车支付比传统网约车更高的费用。