Uber prospects in Austin could discover a brand new supply once they open the app and hail a journey: 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’ll 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 predicted 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 most recent instance of Uber’s push again into autonomous automobiles. Uber divested of its personal autonomous automobile subsidiary, generally known as Uber ATG, by way of a posh cope with Aurora in December 2020. Previous to that, sarcastically, Uber and Waymo had 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 this time stays a majority-shareholder) — Uber ultimately settled the fits.
Uber has spent the previous couple of years shoring up its place within the rising robotaxi market. The corporate has partnered with 14 autonomous automobile 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 automobiles have been obtainable on the Uber app in Phoenix since October 2023.
However in Austin and Atlanta, the association with Waymo shall be extra unique.
Underneath the partnership, solely Uber customers will be capable of hail Waymo’s fleet of autonomous Jaguar I-PACE automobiles. (In Phoenix, Waymo operates the fleet.) Uber will deal with the charging, upkeep, and cleansing of the autonomous automobiles in addition to managing entry to the robotaxis by way of the app. Waymo will nonetheless monitor the tech and the autonomous operations, together with rider help.
The Waymo robotaxis shall be obtainable to prospects inside 37 sq. miles of Austin, together with downtown, Hyde Park and Montopolis. The businesses stated they plan to develop that territory. The Waymo robotaxi fleet shall be smaller to start out — though Uber wouldn’t disclose a determine — and ultimately develop to lots of of automobiles throughout each Austin and Atlanta over the subsequent few years.
Uber stated riders who’re matched with a Waymo pays the identical price as human-driven choices reminiscent of UberX or Uber Consolation.
Prospects who join the “curiosity record” will obtain updates from Uber and improve their possibilities of being matched with a Waymo autonomous automobile at launch, in response to the businesses. To hitch, Uber prospects in Austin must replace the app, then go to settings. From right here, prospects can click on on journey preferences, the place they need to see a listing that features autonomous automobiles.