Uber teams up with Waymo to start selling driverless rides in Austin, Texas

Uber is launching a partnership with Waymo to offer driverless rides in Austin, Texas, starting Tuesday. This collaboration allows Uber to dispatch self-driving cars to passengers, leveraging Waymo's robotaxi technology, which is already operational in cities like Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The partnership aims to expand into Atlanta later this year, with plans for Miami next year. Passengers in Austin can opt for autonomous rides through Uber's app settings, although rides are not guaranteed to be provided by Waymo's robotaxis. This move positions Uber to offer cutting-edge technology alongside its traditional human-driven services.

Waymo, originally a Google project, has been expanding its robotaxi services, now averaging 200,000 paid rides weekly. The company has maintained a strong safety record, unlike General Motors' Cruise, which faced regulatory setbacks after a traffic incident. Uber's collaboration with Waymo marks a significant step in the ride-hailing industry's evolution towards autonomous vehicles, providing a competitive edge and appealing to tech-savvy passengers.

Key takeaways

Uber is partnering with Waymo to offer self-driving rides in Austin, Texas, starting Tuesday.
The partnership aims to expand Waymo's robotaxi services to more cities, including Atlanta later this year.
Waymo's robotaxis are currently averaging 200,000 paid rides per week, with plans to expand to Miami next year.
Passengers can increase their chances of getting a self-driven car by adjusting their settings in the Uber app.

Uber teams up with Waymo to start selling driverless rides in Austin, Texas

Key takeaways

Discussion (0)