Uber has announced that users of its ride-hailing mobile app in Austin, TX can now be matched with a Waymo autonomous vehicle. The latest step in this long-term collaboration between the companies, following a similar deployment in Phoenix, AZ, is focused on introducing Uber’s customer base in Austin to electric, autonomous, transportation.
Much like the Phoenix deployment, rides in Waymo’s Austin fleet of robotaxis will exclusively be available on the Uber app. For those using the app, the experience starts when the customer requests an UberX, Uber Green, or Uber Comfort Electric. In selecting any of these options, the user has the chance to be paired with one of Waymo’s autonomous, all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles at no additional cost. At the same time, if the user does not wish to ride in the robotaxi, they will be provided with an option to accept or switch to a non-autonomous ride.
Once the Waymo AV rides, users can unlock it, open the trunk, and start the trip through dedicated controls on the Uber app. Both the app, and the AV itself, can be used to call assistance if needed by connecting them to a 24/7 customer support service. To boost their chances of being connected to a Waymo vehicle, Uber has added a new ‘opt-in’ setting for the autonomous vehicle option located in the app’s settings under the Ride Preference section.
With safety a top priority for both Uber and Waymo, the companies confirmed that any AV operating on the Uber network will have met all of Uber’s Safety Guidelines. Waymo is, likewise, improving safety in the cities where it operates, with its vehicles collectively having tens of millions of miles of real-world driving experience, navigating complex road conditions and driving scenarios using its Waymo Driver sensor suite.
At launch, Uber customers in Austin will be able to travel across a 37-square-mile area of the city in a Waymo robotaxi. This operating zone currently includes key areas around the city, such as Hyde Park, Downtown, and Montopolis, and is set to grow, with Waymo and Uber planning to expand its scope in the future.
While detailing its latest deployment with Waymo, Uber announced that its next deployment with the AV technology company will be in Atlanta, GA. In Atlanta, Uber confirmed that its employees are already testing the service, taking autonomous vehicle rides in Waymo robotaxis as it prepares to roll out these rides to the public, exclusively on the Uber app.
