(Credit: Uber)
Uber has officially launched Waymo robotaxis in Austin.
Starting today, Uber users in the Texas capital may be matched with a Waymo robotaxi when they request an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric. Users who joined a waitlist that went live last month get first preference.
Before a nearby Waymo vehicle is sent to a user, they will have the option to accept it or switch to a non-autonomous vehicle. If they accept an AV ride, a Jaguar I-PACE car will come to retrieve them. Once the vehicle arrives, users can unlock it and start the trip by following instructions on the Uber app. If they require further assistance, they can access 24/7 human support both on the Uber app and inside the Waymo vehicle.
(Credit: Uber)The charges for a Waymo ride will be the same as for an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric. Additionally, riders won’t be prompted to tip if they take an AV, Uber says.
Customers can set their ride preferences in the Uber app. To increase your chances of being matched with a Waymo car, go to Account > Settings > Autonomous Vehicles and enable the toggle for Get more Waymo rides. If you prefer human-driven cars instead, you can leave this button disabled and select “Find another ride” whenever you receive a notification about being matched with an AV.
“With Waymo’s technology and Uber’s proven platform, we’re excited to introduce our customers to a future of transportation that is increasingly electric and autonomous,” says Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.
Uber’s partnership with Waymo will next expand to Atlanta, where Uber employees are already taking Waymo rides.
In Austin and Atlanta, Uber x Waymo-branded cars will receive services from Avomo (formerly Moove Cars), which will handle cleaning, maintenance, charging, inspections, and depot operations. Waymo will take care of vehicle testing, roadside assistance, and some aspects of rider support.
Uber’s fully autonomous ride-hailing service comes to Austin just a little over a month after Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that its robotaxi service would launch in June.