Uber riders might find no one in the driver's seat next time they hail a ride in Austin
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Waymo robotaxis are now bookable on Uber in Austin, Tex. Photo courtesy of Uber
Waymo's autonomous vehicles are now available on the Uber network in Austin, as more robotaxis begin to share the road with human drivers in select pockets of the U.S.
Why it matters: Maybe you don't feel like conversation with a chatty Uber driver, or you don't like the way they drive. Now you can choose to have a robot-driven car all to yourself.
Driving the news: Austin is the second city, after Phoenix, where Waymo robotaxis are available in the Uber app.
- Starting Tuesday, when customers request a ride, they can opt in for a Waymo robotaxi.
- If one is available, they could be matched with a driverless electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicle.
- To boost their chances of getting a robotaxi, riders can also update their account preferences under "Settings" to select "get more Waymo rides."
- The robotaxi fleet will start small but will grow to hundreds of vehicles across Austin and Atlanta over the next few years, Uber said.
How it works: Once the Waymo arrives, riders can unlock the vehicle, open the trunk, and start the trip – all from the Uber app.
- Riders will receive upfront pricing that's comparable to normal Uber fares.
- Customers can rate their experience — but at least the app won't prompt them for a tip.
The big picture: Waymo has its own ride-hailing service called Waymo One that provides more than 200,000 trips each week in San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles.
- But its core expertise is developing self-driving technology, not running ride-hailing networks or fleet operations.
- Partnering with others "will help accelerate the path forward, to get Waymo One out to more people in more places," Nicole Gavel, Waymo's head of business development and strategic partnerships, tells Axios.
- For example, Waymo's vehicles will be cleaned, maintained and charged by a fleet management company called Avomo (formerly Moove Cars).
- "The business model of autonomous vehicles is coming to life," Andrew Macdonald, Uber's senior vice president of mobility and business operations, tells Axios.
Between the lines: Uber and Waymo have gone from rivals to unlikely partners in autonomous driving.
- Waymo accused Uber of stealing trade secrets in 2016, but the patent dispute was settled in 2018, five days into a contentious trial.
- Uber has since given up on developing its own self-driving technology and instead has partnered with 14 different AV companies to add robotaxis to its ride-hailing network in select cities.
- Waymo is the clear leader in autonomous technology and has safely racked up tens of millions of miles on public roads in the U.S.
What's next: Atlanta, where Waymo robotaxis will be available on the Uber app later this year.
