Khushi Suri, a former investor at A Star, embraced the Waymo-only directive early, spending approximately $10,000 on Waymo rides over the past year. She appreciates the privacy and comfort Waymo offers, especially when going out. Despite Uber and Lyft's past attempts at developing in-house autonomous vehicle programs, they have shifted to partnerships with other companies. Uber plans to expand its partnership with Waymo by managing fleets in Austin and Atlanta by 2025, already offering Waymo rides in Phoenix. Hartz expressed satisfaction with Uber's partnership with Waymo, despite his disappointment over Uber discontinuing its self-driving program.
Key takeaways:
- Kevin Hartz, cofounder of Eventbrite and early Uber investor, directed his VC firm A Star Capital to use only Waymo robotaxis in San Francisco due to their cost-effectiveness and efficiency.
- Waymo's pricing has become competitive, with an average ride cost of $21.91 in Q4 2024, compared to $21.34 for UberX and $22.36 for Lyft, excluding tips.
- Waymo has gained market share in San Francisco, with Uber estimating its share in limited areas at high single-digits or low double digits.
- Uber and Lyft are pursuing partnerships with autonomous vehicle companies after discontinuing their in-house self-driving programs, with Uber planning to manage a Waymo fleet in Austin and Atlanta by 2025.