Yes, Waymo did have safety drivers back when they first started service. But they were in the driver's seat instead of the passenger seat. Having employees in the car at the very beginning seems prudent.

These are regular Model Ys straight off the production line, the only difference being software and some decals. The 2-seater Cybercab with no steering wheel is a completely new design and will not start production until next year at the earliest. This timeline was announced last year at the unveiling, and is not a delay.