Atlanta residents fetching an Uber will soon have the option to ride in a self-driving vehicle.

Why it matters: Uber long ago gave up on developing its own robotaxis, which is difficult and expensive. Instead, Uber is partnering with other tech companies that can bring driverless cars to its platform.

Driving the news: Uber and Waymo announced Friday that they will expand Waymo's autonomous ride-hailing service to Atlanta and Austin in early 2025.

How it works: Users who request Uber Green, Uber X, Uber Comfort or Uber Comfort Electric options could be paired with a Waymo vehicle for certain trips, the companies said.

• Uber says it will manage Waymo's all-electric autonomous Jaguar I-PACE vehicles "that will grow to hundreds over time."
• Uber will be responsible for cleaning and repairing the vehicles while Waymo will oversee testing and operations.

The big picture: Long-term, robotaxis could disrupt and revolutionize the way metro Atlanta builds roads, transit and other infrastructure projects.

Catch up quick: Uber deployed Waymo's self-driving vehicles in the Phoenix area last year, which it said has racked up tens of thousands of riders.

Yes, but: Atlanta riders need to remember that these self-driving cars can't go everywhere, "so they will still have a driver for many of their Uber trips."

Flashback: Atlanta is familiar territory for Waymo. In 2018, the company announced it would test self-driving vehicles around the metro area.

Context: Cruise, which is owned by General Motors, tested self-driving taxis in Atlanta last year, Thomas previously reported.

• In July 2023, the Cumberland Community Improvement District unveiled an eight-month pilot program of a driverless shuttle dubbed "The Cumberland Hopper."

State of play: Autonomous vehicle technology has been pitched as a game changer for transportation for the past decade — but so far its service has been limited to select cities.

• It's also seen its share of issues, namely in San Francisco and Austin.
• Tesla is also dipping its toe into the self-driving vehicle market, but questions remain over whether the technology is ready and how it would operate.

Go deeper: How self-driving cars can gain the public's trust

ELEVATE, Atlanta's annual arts and culture festival, is going back in time to explore City Hall efforts to weave art into public spaces and civic identity.

Why it matters: An Atlanta without the arts is not an Atlanta where we want to live.

Catch up quick: 50 years ago, then Mayor Maynard Jackson created the Office of Cultural Affairs. Since then, the city has become one of the biggest boosters of the arts in Georgia and the South.

Zoom in: From Fri., Sept. 20, to Sun., Oct. 13, ELEVATE will host free weekend events including:

• A panel discussion featuring Michael Lomax, who founded the OCA, and former Mayor Shirley Franklin, who also served as the cultural affairs commissioner
• New and restored murals painted by artists from Atlanta's sister cities Lagos, Nigeria, and Toulouse, France and sculpture works in Freedom Park and Grant Park; and
• Exhibitions featuring prominent Atlanta artists from the past 50 years and retrospectives about the city's cinema and jazz history.

Fun fact: The city is awarding 2,500 tickets to 50 Atlanta cultural venues hosting arts events throughout the fall.

Visit ELEVATE's website for more details ... Share this story

Fall is getting warmer across the continental U.S., a new analysis finds, including in metro Atlanta.

Why it matters: Warmer autumns mean more demand for cooling (and thus higher energy use), longer wildfire seasons, big changes for farmers and gardeners, etc.

Driving the news: Fall temperatures rose 3.1°F on average in metro Atlanta between 1970 and 2023, according to a new Climate Central report.

• The nonprofit climate research group's analysis is based on average temperatures across 234 locations between September and November of each year.

Zoom in: Albany led Georgia metros with the largest increase (3.8°F), followed by Atlanta, Columbus (1.7°F), Augusta (1.6°F) and Savannah (1.2°F).

Between the lines: The fall trends are consistent with climate science findings showing how the planet is responding to human-caused increases in greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide.

• All other seasons are also warming.

What's next: Expect above-normal temperatures across much of the country this fall, per NOAA's seasonal outlook.

Blink. Chances are, you haven't done that in a while. Now, focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

• If you do that every 20 minutes, you're following what eye doctors call the 20-20-20 rule.

Why it matters: Data suggests we're spending more than 18 years of our adult lives online — and that's not great news for our eyeballs.

How it works: 20-20-20 briefly jolts people away from devices and redirects their focus on something else, relaxing eye muscles and encouraging hydrating blinks.

Caveat: While some studies have focused on the rule, there isn't extensive data to back up its benefits.

Yes, and: Blue light-blocking glasses, while popular, don't help with dry eyes, and doctors aren't impressed with them.

Worthy of your eyes: Computer glasses, designed to prevent eye strain.

Blink and share this story

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• Former President Trump's running mate U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) will headline an evangelical conservative gala this evening at the Cobb Galleria Centre. (AJC)

• A North Georgia animal rescue organization says a fire destroyed buildings and supplies. (WSB)

• A Republican special prosecutor said he will not pursue charges against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the 2020 election interference case. (New York Times)

• Another jail contractor says Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat owes the company an outstanding payment, this time for $600,000. (AJC)