Uber, Waymo launch self-driving rides in Austin

Uber is gearing up for a new milestone in Austin, Texas, where starting Tuesday, its ride-hailing service will include dispatching self-driving cars to passengers. This innovative option comes through a collaboration between Uber and Waymo, a leader in autonomous technology, already offering self-driving rides in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

The partnership aims to expand into other cities, with Austin being the starting point, followed by Atlanta later this year. This endeavor marks Waymo’s advance towards broader geographical deployment in collaboration with Uber, an alliance that came to fruition last September.

While Uber will continue its network of human-driven cars in Austin, incorporating Waymo’s robotaxis provides an appealing option for tech-savvy passengers curious about autonomous vehicles. “With Waymo’s technology and Uber’s proven platform, we’re ready to bring you the ride of the future, today,” Uber announced, heralding the arrival of these robotaxis to Austin.

Although passengers cannot specifically request a ride in one of Waymo’s autonomous vehicles, they can increase the likelihood by adjusting their settings to prefer self-driving cars. Upon dispatch, the Uber app informs passengers if a Waymo vehicle is en route and offers the chance to opt for a human-driven alternative.

Since its inception as a secret project at Google, Waymo has made significant strides in the robotaxi sector, initially launching paid services in Phoenix nearly five years ago. Currently, Waymo’s fleet is averaging 200,000 rides per week, a significant increase from the 10,000 weekly rides just two years ago, as reported by Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.

The expansion with Uber will not only cover Austin and Atlanta but also extend to Miami next year, utilizing Waymo’s app to offer services similar to those in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Remarkably, Waymo has maintained a strong safety record with its robotaxis, avoiding accidents that could cast doubt on autonomous vehicle safety. Conversely, General Motors’ Cruise faced hurdles when its robotaxi service in San Francisco temporarily lost its operational license following an incident involving an injured pedestrian. Despite a previous agreement with Uber, plans to deploy Cruise’s robotaxis were halted as GM paused its autonomous operations.