UBER TEAMS UP WITH WAYMO TO START SELLING DRIVERLESS RIDES IN AUSTIN, TEXAS

Uber shifted gears in Austin, Texas, earlier this week, launching a landmark service that lets riders hail driverless cars through its app, thanks to a partnership with Waymo, the autonomous vehicle arm of Google’s parent company, Alphabet.

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This rollout, announced in a joint statement from Uber and Waymo, marks the first time Austinites can summon a fully autonomous Waymo vehicle—specifically, an all-electric Jaguar I-PACE—by requesting an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric ride. Covering a 37-square-mile swath of the city, from downtown to Hyde Park and Montopolis, this service blends cutting-edge technology with the familiar convenience of Uber’s platform, offering a glimpse into the future of urban mobility.

The collaboration, live since earlier this week, builds on a partnership first unveiled in September 2023, with Austin now joining Phoenix as a hub where Uber users can experience Waymo’s self-driving prowess. TechCrunch reported that this launch comes after months of testing, with Waymo’s robotaxis already a subtle presence on Austin streets since 2023. For riders, it’s a seamless shift—request a ride, and a Waymo vehicle might roll up instead of a human-driven car, all at no extra cost. What’s driving this move, how does it work, and what does it mean for Austin’s streets now? Here’s a deep dive into this autonomous milestone, straight from this week’s freshest updates.

A NEW RIDE OPTION HITS AUSTIN