Waymo film examines how autonomous rides can change women’s journeys
Waymo has released a new film about the preparation and mental energy many women associate with getting into a car, and how an autonomous ride can give that energy back. The company says its riders can use the journey on their own terms, from taking a work call to sitting in silence.
- Waymo released the film Because Women: Rethinking What Freedom of Movement Can Feel Like.
- The film examines the preparation and mental energy many women associate with car journeys.
- Waymo says riders can take calls, sit in silence, or play music during a ride.
- Over half of women riders across established service markets reportedly said Waymo improves their sense of personal safety.
- The film was made with a women-led creative and production crew.
A journey shaped by preparation
Waymo’s film, titled Because Women: Rethinking What Freedom of Movement Can Feel Like, focuses on the precautions women may take before and during a car journey. These can include checking their surroundings, deciding whether to talk or appear busy on a phone call, and sending a live location to a friend.
The company frames these actions as a layer of preparation that can make travel about more than getting from one place to another. According to Waymo, this preparation also requires ongoing mental energy. The film asks what a journey might feel like when that stress is removed.
More control inside the vehicle
Waymo says its service gives riders a private space where they can decide how to spend the trip. Riders can take a work call, sit in total silence, or play music as loudly as they want, according to the company.
The focus is on control over the environment rather than on a particular destination. Waymo says riders are sharing that this change matters, especially when they have more choice and comfort during travel. The company connects that control with a greater sense of confidence while moving through the world.
Waymo also cites its own rider data, saying that over half of women riders across established service markets reported that Waymo improves their sense of personal safety. The company attributes the result to the ability to have more control over the surrounding environment.
A women-led creative team
To tell the story, Waymo partnered with a women-led creative and production crew. The film was directed by Mollie Mills, with cinematography by Autumn Durald. Executive producer Onye Anyanwu, editor Mah Ferraz, and music producer Shakari "Trakgirl" L also worked on the project.
Waymo says women’s experiences and perspectives form an important part of how it considers the rider experience. The company presents the film as part of that thinking, linking freedom of movement with the value of having more choice, comfort, and confidence when traveling.
For users, the message is that an autonomous ride can provide time and space that passengers control themselves. The film does not announce a new service or feature, but communicates how Waymo wants riders to experience its existing journey: as personal time shaped by their own preferences.
