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Uber customers in Austin may notice a new offer when they open the app and hail a ride: an invitation to signal their interest in a Waymo robotaxi. <\/p>\n
For now, this doesn\u2019t translate into a Waymo picking them up. But it will soon. <\/p>\n
The \u201cinterest list,\u201d<\/a> which launched Wednesday, is part of a partnership between Uber and Waymo<\/a> to operate a robotaxi service in Austin and Atlanta in early 2025. The service is expected to begin soon in Austin, although neither company would share an official start date. A new co-branded robotaxi was also revealed Wednesday.<\/p>\n The \u201cWaymo on Uber\u201d robotaxi service is the latest example of Uber\u2019s push back into autonomous vehicles. Uber divested of its own autonomous vehicle subsidiary, known as Uber ATG, through a complex deal<\/a> with Aurora in December 2020. Prior to that, ironically, Uber and Waymo were arch rivals, going head-to-head in lawsuits alleging Uber stole trade secrets belonging to Waymo (which at the time was part of Google\/Alphabet, which today remains a majority-shareholder) \u2014 Uber eventually settled<\/a> the suits<\/a>.<\/p>\n Uber has spent the past couple of years shoring up its position in the emerging robotaxi market<\/a>. The company has partnered with 14 autonomous vehicle companies that cover ride-hailing, delivery, and trucking \u2014 a handful of which are operating commercially. In December, Uber launched robotaxi rides with WeRide in Abu Dhabi and Waymo\u2019s autonomous vehicles have been available on the\u00a0Uber app in Phoenix<\/a>\u00a0since October 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n But in Austin and Atlanta, the arrangement with Waymo will be more exclusive.<\/p>\n Under the partnership, only Uber users will be able to hail Waymo\u2019s fleet of autonomous Jaguar I-PACE vehicles. (In Phoenix, Waymo operates the fleet.) Uber will handle the charging, maintenance, and cleaning of the autonomous vehicles as well as managing access to the robotaxis via the app. Waymo will still monitor the tech and the autonomous operations, including rider assistance.<\/p>\n The Waymo robotaxis will be available to customers within 37 square miles of Austin, including downtown, Hyde Park and Montopolis. The companies said they plan to expand that territory. The Waymo robotaxi fleet will be smaller to start \u2014 although Uber would not disclose a figure \u2014 and eventually grow to hundreds of vehicles across both Austin and Atlanta over the next few years.<\/p>\n Uber said riders who are matched with a Waymo will pay the same rate as human-driven options such as UberX or Uber Comfort.<\/p>\n Customers who sign up for the \u201cinterest list\u201d will receive updates from Uber and increase their chances of being matched with a Waymo autonomous vehicle at launch, according to the companies. To join, Uber customers in Austin need to update the app, then go to settings. From here, customers can click on ride preferences, where they should see a list that includes autonomous vehicles.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n