Uber, Waymo unleashing fleet of self-driving taxis in Atlanta, Austin next year

[JACK AYLMER]

IF YOU’RE HAILING AN UBER IN AUSTIN OR ATLANTA— YOUR RIDE COULD BE DRIVERLESS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

UBER AND WAYMO ANNOUNCING THE EXPANSION OF THEIR PARTNERSHIP FRIDAY THAT WILL UNLEASH A FLEET OF ROBOTAXIS IN THE TWO CITIES BY 2025.

RIDERS WILL BE ABLE TO GET THE AUTONOMOUS TAXIS ONLY THROUGH THE UBER APP.

THE VEHICLES USED FOR THIS SERVICE?

THE ALL-ELECTRIC JAGUAR I-PACE VEHICLES– THAT THE COMPANIES SAY WILL “GROW TO HUNDREDS OVER TIME.”

WHEN THE FLEET OF TAXIS OFFICIALLY HIT THE ROAD – RIDERS WILL HAVE TO HAIL THE VEHICLES THROUGH THE UBER APP.

THE TWO COMPANIES’ C-E-OS CALLED THE RELATIONSHIP MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL.

REVEALING UBER WILL HANDLE FLEET MANAGEMENT– LIKE REPAIRING AND CLEANING THE CARS AND WAYMO WILL OVERSEE TESTING AND OPERATION OF “WAYMO DRIVER” — AS WELL AS HANDLING ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND RIDER SUPPORT.

THE COMPANIES HAVEN’T ALWAYS BEEN SO FRIENDLY WITH EACH OTHER.

IN 2017, WAYMO SUED UBER– ACCUSING IT OF TRADE SECRET THEFT AND PATENT INFRINGEMENT OVER TECH USED IN A SELF-DRIVING TRUCK KNOWN AS OTTO. 

WAYMO HAD PLANNED TO PARTNER WITH LYFT FOR ROBOTAXIS IN 2020 BUT THE PANDEMIC TOOK THAT PLAN OUT OF COMMISSION. 

UBER WAS DEVELOPING ITS OWN FLEET OF AUTONOMOUS TAXIS TO REPORTEDLY REPLACE ALL HUMAN DRIVERS YEARS AGO BUT THAT EFFORT ENDED IN 2017.

FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– AND THE ONGOING PLANS TO ROLLOUT THIS NEW FLEET OF ROBOTAXIS– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.