Starting Tuesday, Uber riders in Austin, Texas, can now request a driverless ride from Waymo, the autonomous vehicle service by Alphabet, Google’s parent company. This marks the first time Uber customers in Austin will have the option of booking a self-driving vehicle, spanning 37 square miles of the city—Tesla’s home turf.
Andrew Macdonald, Uber’s Senior Vice President of Mobility and Business Operations, expressed enthusiasm for the technology, stating that autonomous vehicles are a positive advancement for the world. He believes that a supportive city and government foster innovation, benefiting consumers. “It encourages competition, it encourages innovation, and that ends up being a good thing for consumers,” he added.
Waymo and Uber, once at odds over self-driving technology, are now partners. Nicole Gavel, Waymo’s head of business development, highlighted the significance of their collaboration, calling it an important step toward expanding autonomous technology in a safe and convenient manner.
Riders in Austin who select UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric might find themselves matched with a driverless, all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicle at no extra cost. These cars can accommodate up to four passengers. Uber users can even adjust their preferences to increase their chances of getting a Waymo, but if they prefer not to ride in an autonomous car, they can select a different vehicle.
Uber had previously tested autonomous rides in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2023, but this launch in Austin represents a broader scale. The service will soon expand to Atlanta, with hundreds of vehicles expected to operate in both cities over the coming years. Uber employees have already started taking autonomous trips in Atlanta.
While Uber sold its own autonomous vehicle fleet to Aurora during the pandemic, it now returns to the driverless market through its partnership with Waymo. The service’s launch in Austin and its expansion to other cities marks a significant shift in the ridesharing industry.
As Tesla, based in Austin, seeks approval for its own ride-hailing services in California, Uber and Waymo are now setting their sights on competing in Tesla’s home state. Although the Waymo ride option doesn’t incur additional charges, passengers can rate their experiences in the app, and if a safety issue arises, human support is available 24/7 via the Uber app.
In contrast to General Motors’ Cruise robotaxi service, which faced safety issues and was halted in December after a pedestrian was injured, Uber’s Waymo service includes safety measures such as vehicle incident detection and easy access to human support.
Looking ahead, Uber plans to expand the autonomous service further, with a focus on Austin and Atlanta. Macdonald believes the expansion will grow the rideshare market and offer new opportunities for both autonomous and human-driven vehicles. He envisions a shift away from individual car ownership, making ridesharing a compelling alternative for many consumers.
