Hey tech enthusiasts and future-forward Bay Area residents, get ready for some mind-blowing automotive news that’ll make your Tesla-owning friends jealous.

Waymo, the self-driving car division of Google’s parent company Alphabet, is seriously considering selling their autonomous vehicles directly to consumers. Yes, you read that right - you might soon be able to park a robot car in your garage that looks like it rolled straight out of a sci-fi movie.

The Price Tag of Innovation

Before you start day-dreaming about cruising down the 101 with zero human intervention, let’s talk dollars and cents. According to University of San Francisco engineering professor William Riggs, these futuristic wheels won’t come cheap. We’re talking a minimum price tag of $250,000 - and that’s being “generous”.

Silicon Valley’s Latest Flex

With the Bay Area being home to more billionaires than probably anywhere else on the planet, Waymo seems confident they’ll find buyers willing to drop a quarter-million on a self-driving marvel. The company’s CEO Sundar Pichai cryptically mentioned “future optionality around personal ownership” during a recent earnings call, signaling that personal Waymo vehicles might be more than just a pipe dream.

What’s Next for Autonomous Tech?

Currently, Waymo’s primary focus remains ride-hailing services, but they’re eyeing broader horizons. Their spokesperson confirmed plans to deploy their technology across delivery, trucking, and potentially personal car ownership. Translation? The robot car revolution is coming, and it’s bringing some seriously expensive toys with it.

So buckle up (metaphorically, since these cars drive themselves) and start saving those tech stocks - your autonomous future might be closer than you think.