Waymo and Uber were once caught in a legal battle over trade secrets|@WaymoCommunity|X
Google parent Alphabet’s robotaxi tech company Waymo and ride-hailing app Uber are partnering to provide driverless rides in Austin, Texas. The two companies were once caught in a legal battle over trade secrets.
People in the area can now choose from the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE fleet when booking an Uber.
The move signals Waymo’s expansion as it already offers rides on the Uber app in Phoenix and has plans to launch in Atlanta this year.
The company also has a ride-hailing app called Waymo One, which provides over 200,000 trips each week to San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
While General Motors recently pulled its Cruise robotaxi service due to safety concerns, Uber remains bullish on autonomous expansion, betting on a future where ridesharing outpaces car ownership.
Interestingly, the launch in Austin, home to Elon Musk’s Tesla HQ, comes as the EV maker seeks approval for its own ride-hailing service in California and plans to launch self-driving EVs later this year.
Uber rival Lyft is also gearing up to deploy robotaxis in Atlanta and Dallas soon.