Riding a robotaxi: the practical stuff
The questions people actually have once the novelty wears off. Answers are per operator and taken from each company's own rules, which do differ.
You left something in the car
First rule: check the seat and floor before you get out, because every operator says the same thing, that they are not responsible for what you leave behind. If you do forget something, report it fast through the app or the support line. If it turns up, you collect it, and it is only held for about a week.
Waymo
In the Waymo app, open the Help tab and choose Chat, Email, or Call, or use the online lost-item form, or call rider support at 1 (844) 261-3753, which is staffed 24/7. If your item is found, you pick it up at a Waymo depot, open around the clock. Items are held for 7 days, and Waymo does not keep bottles, umbrellas, food, or smoking-related items.
Tesla Robotaxi
File the Lost Item Report in the Robotaxi app, or call customer support at (877) 798-3752, as soon as you can. If it is found, Tesla contacts you and arranges a pickup. Items are held for 10 days. Tesla is clear that it will not reimburse or compensate you for lost property.
Zoox
Report it on the support page at zoox.com/support, or email hello@zoox.com. Zoox also has in-app live support (hours vary by city) and staffed Concierge points in Foster City and Las Vegas that can help. The holding time and pickup details are shown in the app.
Booked through Uber or Lyft
Some robotaxis are hailed through Uber or Lyft rather than the operator's own app, like WeRide in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Waymo in Austin and Atlanta, and May Mobility through Lyft. For those, use that app's lost-and-found. In Uber, open the trip, contact support, and if the item turns up you either pay for a courier to deliver it the same day or collect it from the AV depot.
Chinese operators (WeRide, Pony.ai, Apollo Go)
They handle lost items inside their own apps and local customer service and do not publish an English lost-and-found policy, so report it in the app you booked with.
Can you send the car for someone else, or let a child ride alone?
Short answer: no. With both Waymo and Tesla you have to be there and ride the whole way; you cannot order a car for someone else to take without you. You are welcome to bring guests, but you ride with them. You also have to be 18 to book a ride or to ride on your own.
Waymo
You cannot request a car for someone else, and you must be present to start the trip and stay for the whole ride. Kids are welcome alongside an adult (the front seat is fine for guests 8 and up, up to 4 riders total). The one way a teen rides alone is a Teen Account for 14 to 17 year-olds linked to a parent, and that is only available in metro Phoenix so far.
Tesla Robotaxi
Tesla's rider rules say plainly that you may not book a ride for another person, and you must stay with your guests the entire ride. You must be 18 to book or ride alone. Guests aged 8 to 17 may come along only with a parent or guardian's consent and never unaccompanied; children under 8 are not allowed at all.
Zoox
Zoox doesn't publish its age or guest rules in a readable public form; its Terms of Use load inside the app. Check them before you plan to bring a minor or send a ride.
Booked through Uber or Lyft
When you hail an AV through Uber or Lyft, that app's rules apply. Uber does let you request a ride for someone else, but not for an unaccompanied rider under 18 unless it's a teen account. The car itself may still need whoever rides to handle unlocking, so the operator's own rules can apply on top.
Chinese operators
WeRide, Pony.ai and Apollo Go don't publish English rider rules on age or riding for others, so check the app you booked with.