Changing lanes? Self-driving Ubers could be offered soon
- Uber may soon be offering self-driving rides
- The company is partnering with Waymo
- The merger will launch later this year in Phoenix
FILE – An Uber sign is displayed at the company’s headquarters in San Francisco, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
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(NewsNation) — Uber could soon be offering self-driving rides. The delivery and ride-share company announced a partnership with Waymo’s autonomous driving technology Tuesday.
The merger is expected to officially launch later this year with a “set number” of Waymo self-driving vehicles in Phoenix for ride-hailing trips and deliveries through the Uber and Uber Eats apps.
Why Phoenix? Waymo’s Phoenix operations are the largest fully autonomous service area in the world. They reportedly provide around 10,000 trips each week in Phoenix and San Francisco.
According to TechCrunch, Waymo will not distribute its self-driving vehicles to Uber, but instead Uber users will have the option to select a Waymo car through the Uber app.
Despite a previous legal battle between the companies over Uber’s autonomous vehicle venture, Waymo and Uber say they are “excited” for the integration.
“Uber provides access to a global and reliable marketplace across mobility, delivery, and freight,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, in a news release. “Fully autonomous driving is quickly becoming part of everyday life, and we’re excited to bring Waymo’s incredible technology to the Uber platform.”
While the fusion is in its early stages, the news release did not mention how this may change its fleet or the nearly 5 million people who drive for the company. A rollout pace or potential plan for self-driving expansion on Uber’s part has also not been revealed yet.
