Waymo finally has a music experience worthy of that robotaxi

It rides behind Waymo autonomously navigates San Francisco's bustling streets, thanks to 29 external cameras, six radars and five LIDAR sensors all supplied to the AI model. For just $15, I can experience what feels like a miracle of modern technology, but even so, I have persistent thoughts that I can't shake.

The music is sucked into this.

Waymo's music streaming capabilities felt like a matured barnacle attached to a futuristic shell. Until this week, passengers were limited to Lo-Fi beats, smooth jazz, K-pop, or several music stations that played other genres they didn't care about. For those who want to hear something more specific, they had to use another app from Waymo's parent company, Alphabet.

For iPhone users, it meant downloading the Google Assistant app and configuring it to connect to Spotify. At that point I had to ask my Google Assistant via written or verbal commands to stream a particular song, artist, or playlist on WAYMO. Even if I reached this point where I've heard about three LO-FI beats in the middle of my destination, the service certainly didn't work.

When I rode a Robotaxi full of cutting-edge technology, I was confused as to why Waymo couldn't find an easy way to stream music from a phone to a car speaker.

So this week, Waymo launched a Spotify integration, allowing users to seamlessly link music streaming and Robotaxi-Hailing services. I quickly connected the service and welcomed Waymo to see how it worked.

Waymo's Spotify integration is not groundbreaking, but it adds to your user experience. It works seamlessly. This is what you'd expect when you try to play music on your car speakers in 2025. But you can ride a Waymo, listen to your playlists, and the backseat of the podcast feel like your own space.

To set it up, open the Waymo app and go to the Music section. Here you will notice new products that can connect to Spotify. From there, you can grant Spotify to connect to Waymo by pressing the button, while still allowing your Robotaxi provider to access your listening information.

Apple Music users will soon want to stream music and podcasts on Waymos too. Waymo spokesman Chris Bonelli told TechCrunch that the company is constantly exploring new personalization options, but he didn't make it clear when the company would add Apple Music integrations.

Once my Waymo and Spotify accounts were linked, I welcomed Waymo as usual and came in. The Waymo touchscreen in the back seat has the option to select Spotify. I tapped it and the podcast I was listening to on my headphones started playing from exactly where I left off.

You can turn “Autoplay” on or off in Waymo's music settings. Once you enter, Robotaxi will automatically start playing songs and podcasts you've been listening to on Spotify. I liked to have it, but I feel that if you listen to a fierce true crime podcast and then enter Waymo with a work colleague, it can put you in a strange situation.

You can also use Waymo's touchscreen to choose from a variety of customized playlists that Spotify users are familiar with, such as “daylists” and other mixes. However, this choice does not appear to include albums, audiobooks, or podcasts you've listened to recently.

Fortunately, the Spotify app now controls WAYMO music. Simply select the songs and playlists you need from your smartphone and stream them all across your vehicle, just like using Apple CarPlay or Bluetooth speakers.

Ultimately, Spotify integration made Robotaxi more personalized. I was able to fine-tune the bass, subwoofer and high-pitched levels of the car speakers. That personalization may not be a major attraction for first-time users, but it could potentially bring them back. And a loyal customer base is exactly what Waymo needs.