Uber Expands Autonomous Rides in Austin with Waymo Partnership

Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) has launched driverless ride services in Austin, partnering with Waymo to integrate autonomous vehicles into its platform. The service, available from Tuesday, allows passengers using UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric to be matched with a self-driving Waymo vehicle at no extra cost. Riders can opt out before dispatch. This development follows reports that Uber and Waymo are set to launch a public robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, further expanding the use of autonomous vehicles in the city.

A Shift in Strategy for the Rideshare Industry

Uber and Lyft Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT) previously invested heavily in self-driving research but shifted to partnerships after high development costs. Uber has since secured multiple global collaborations to expand autonomous services across its rideshare, delivery, and freight divisions.

”Uber had previously informed its users that they could increase their chances of being allocated an autonomous vehicle by indicating their preference on the Uber app.”