Uber and Waymo officially launched their autonomous vehicle partnership in Austin this week. Through the Uber app, riders can be matched with Waymo’s self-driving cars.
The collaboration between Uber and Waymo brings together Waymo’s autonomous driving technology with Uber’s established ride-hailing platform to create a formidable AV offering.
The location is notable because it is right on the doorstep of competitor Tesla’s global headquarters.
Austin riders requesting UberX, Uber Green, Comfort, or Comfort Electric rides may be matched with a Waymo fully autonomous all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicle at no additional cost. Riders will have the option to accept the autonomous vehicle or switch to a traditional driver.
The user experience remains largely unchanged within the familiar Uber app. Riders can unlock the vehicle, access the trunk, and start their trip directly through the application. To meet safety requirements, 24/7 customer support is available both in the Uber app and inside Waymo vehicles.
The launch of Uber and Waymo’s partnership in Austin is the latest development in the rapidly expanding autonomous vehicle industry that promises to revolutionise urban mobility in a way that hasn’t been seen since the invention of the steam engine.
Elon Musk’s new role in the US administration has intensified investor interest in the sector because, as we’ve already seen from some of his early actions, he’s likely to push for policies that benefit his own companies. And Tesla is in desperate need of some positivity.
Tesla sales are plummeting amid backlash at Musk’s political interference in Europe, and much rides on the successful deployment of Tesla’s robotaxi.
However, Musk is far from the dominant player in this area, as demonstrated by Uber and Waymo’s fleet in Austin.
Several early-stage companies are also doing exciting things in the space. Tekcapital’s Guident has developed teleoperation AV safety systems required by many US states, and UK-based Wayve has just set up an AV testing centre in Germany.
The sheer potential in terms of total addressable market and future revenue means there will be many winners from the AV revolution. In the meantime, Watching Musk battle it out with Uber and Waymo will certainly be interesting.