I don't think this is unique to SF. Even in very safe cities there's surely a higher chance of being mugged walking down a dark street than riding in a 5000 lbs vehicle with tinted windows.
Please account for the danger of being struck by other people riding in 5000 lb vehicles with tinted windows!
I think they seem good now because you're not riding with randos. Although, randos can still trivially stop the car. But this model is unsustainable, eventually you will be riding with randos.
If you ride the subway at night, with almost nobody on it, you get the same effect.
>It's hard to coordinate, say, 20 people to rob you (one guy).
It's unsafe when there's lots of people, it's unsafe when there's no people. Basically they're saying it's unsafe no matter what, which just isn't true. Subway systems are an everyday part of life in many cities.
They are also claiming that Waymo will have compulsory ride sharing for some reason, and therefore wont be safe (I dont agree with this part)
The situation you want to avoid on a train or car is being trapped in a shared space with only a crazy person.
It might also be that Waymo and co have decided that the additional risk involved in putting strangers in a car together without a driver to keep an eye on them isn't worth taking on.