Uber clients in Austin might discover a brand new supply once they open the app and hail a experience: an invite to sign their curiosity in a Waymo robotaxi.
For now, this doesn’t translate right into a Waymo choosing them up. However it would quickly.
The “interest list,” which launched Wednesday, is a part of a partnership between Uber and Waymo to function a robotaxi service in Austin and Atlanta in early 2025. The service is anticipated to start quickly in Austin, though neither firm would share an official begin date. A brand new co-branded robotaxi was additionally revealed Wednesday.
The “Waymo on Uber” robotaxi service is the newest instance of Uber’s push again into autonomous autos. Uber divested of its personal autonomous car subsidiary, often known as Uber ATG, by way of a complex deal with Aurora in December 2020. Previous to that, paradoxically, Uber and Waymo have been arch rivals, going head-to-head in lawsuits alleging Uber stole commerce secrets and techniques belonging to Waymo (which on the time was a part of Google/Alphabet, which at the moment stays a majority-shareholder) — Uber ultimately settled the suits.
Uber has spent the previous couple of years shoring up its place within the emerging robotaxi market. The corporate has partnered with 14 autonomous car firms that cowl ride-hailing, supply, and trucking — a handful of that are working commercially. In December, Uber launched robotaxi rides with WeRide in Abu Dhabi and Waymo’s autonomous autos have been out there on the Uber app in Phoenix since October 2023.
However in Austin and Atlanta, the association with Waymo will probably be extra unique.
Underneath the partnership, solely Uber customers will have the ability to hail Waymo’s fleet of autonomous Jaguar I-PACE autos. (In Phoenix, Waymo operates the fleet.) Uber will deal with the charging, upkeep, and cleansing of the autonomous autos in addition to managing entry to the robotaxis through the app. Waymo will nonetheless monitor the tech and the autonomous operations, together with rider help.
The Waymo robotaxis will probably be out there to clients inside 37 sq. miles of Austin, together with downtown, Hyde Park and Montopolis. The businesses mentioned they plan to develop that territory. The Waymo robotaxi fleet will probably be smaller to start out — though Uber wouldn’t disclose a determine — and ultimately develop to tons of of autos throughout each Austin and Atlanta over the following few years.
Uber mentioned riders who’re matched with a Waymo pays the identical fee as human-driven choices equivalent to UberX or Uber Consolation.
Clients who join the “curiosity record” will obtain updates from Uber and enhance their possibilities of being matched with a Waymo autonomous car at launch, in response to the businesses. To hitch, Uber clients in Austin must replace the app, then go to settings. From right here, clients can click on on experience preferences, the place they need to see a listing that features autonomous autos.
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