Waymo, the autonomous vehicle division of Alphabet, plans to roll out its electric robotaxis in Atlanta, Georgia, and Austin, Texas, early next year. The Jaguar I-PACE electric SUVs, equipped with Waymo’s advanced self-driving technology, will be available for rides through Uber, marking an expansion of the collaboration between Waymo and the popular ride-sharing platform.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
Waymo’s electric robotaxis, developed in partnership with Jaguar, will soon serve customers in Atlanta and Austin through the Uber app. This move follows a similar integration in Phoenix, Arizona, where Waymo has been offering autonomous rides via Uber since last year. As part of this new rollout, Uber will handle the cleaning, repair, and overall management of the Waymo vehicles while Waymo continues to focus on refining its autonomous driving systems.
Initially, a limited number of Waymo One app users in Austin and Atlanta may get early access to these robotaxis in the coming weeks. Full integration with the Uber app for Austin users will happen next year, while Atlanta residents will have to wait until 2025 to hail a Waymo robotaxi through Uber.
The collaboration marks a significant milestone for both companies, which have had a contentious past. In 2017, Waymo and Uber were involved in a high-profile legal dispute over alleged theft of trade secrets. However, the companies have since resolved their differences and are now working together to bring autonomous vehicles to more cities.
Currently, Waymo’s autonomous Jaguars are operating in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix, completing over 100,000 rides each week. The addition of Atlanta and Austin aims to build on this success and increase the use of autonomous vehicles in urban settings. This partnership with Uber represents a strategic move to increase the number of self-driving rides in American cities, with hundreds of vehicles expected to be added to both Atlanta and Austin in the near future.
TF Summary: What’s Next
Waymo’s partnership with Uber sets the stage for a more extensive deployment of autonomous vehicles across the U.S. cities. As Atlanta and Austin prepare for the arrival of these robotaxis, Waymo and Uber are expected to expand their collaboration to other cities, possibly bringing more robotaxi services to new regions. The inclusion of more autonomous rides could reshape urban transportation, providing a glimpse into the future of city commuting with fewer human drivers.
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