Uber launches self-driving rides in Elon Musk’s backyard
Musk, who plans to launch a fleet of self-driving cars this year, has been pipped to the post
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Uber is set to launch a new ride-hailing service using self-driving cars in Austin, Texas – the backyard of Elon Musk’s Tesla.
The autonomous option is a collaboration between Uber and Waymo, a leading robotaxi company.
Waymo already offers self-driving vehicle rides through its app in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and is now partnering with Uber to expand its reach.
The partnership will initially roll out in Austin and later extend to Atlanta.
This move puts Waymo ahead of Musk's plans to launch a fleet of electric self-driving cars later this year.
While Uber will continue its human-driven car services in Austin, the addition of Waymo's robotaxis provides a unique selling point.
“With Waymo’s technology and Uber’s proven platform, we’re ready to bring you the ride of the future, today,” Uber saidabout the robotaxis coming to Austin.
Although there is no way passengers can guarantee that a ride ordered through Uber's app in Austin will be provided by one of Waymo's robotaxis, they can increase their chances of getting a self-driven car by going into their settings and turning on the autonomous vehicle preference.
When it sends a Waymo car to pick up a passenger, Uber's app will send a notification that the ride will be provided by a self-driving car while also offering the option to switch to a human-controlled vehicle instead.
Originally started as a secret project within Google, Waymo has been making major inroads since its robotaxis first began charging for rides in Phoenix nearly five years ago.
Waymo's robotaxis are now averaging 200,000 paid rides per week, up from about 10,000 weekly rides two years ago, according to a recent post by Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who runs the Mountain View, California, company that owns Google as well as Waymo.
After expanding into Austin and Atlanta this year as part of the Uber partnership, Waymo also plans to begin offering rides in Miami next year through its own app, mirroring how it already runs its service in other cities.
Waymo, so far, has avoided a major traffic accident or other safety problems that might give regulators second thoughts about allowing its robotaxis to remain on the road.
Automaker General Motors tried to compete against Waymo in San Francisco with a robotaxi service operated by its Cruise subsidiary, but had its California license suspended in October 2023 after one of its self-driving cars dragged an injured pedestrian about 20 feet before coming to a stop.
Uber also struck a deal in 2024 to eventually deploy Cruise's robotaxis in cities that were never identified before General Motors pulled the plug on its fleet of self-driving cars.