Ride-hailing giant, Uber Technologies, has announced plans to expand its partnership with Alphabet’s Waymo to bring autonomous ride-hailing services to Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia, early next year.
The announcement comes at a crucial time for self-driving firms, which have faced increased scrutiny from safety regulators due to multiple incidents involving crashes and accidents. The partnership with Waymo allows Uber to leverage Waymo’s advanced autonomous driving technology while managing and dispatching a fleet of fully autonomous, all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles.
Uber and Waymo first announced their initial partnership last year, focusing on offering Waymo’s driverless cars to customers in Phoenix, Arizona. This latest expansion demonstrates both companies’ commitment to expanding their reach and providing autonomous ride-hailing services to a wider audience.
Uber has been actively pursuing a strategy to partner with electric vehicle (EV) makers and autonomous driving firms. By collaborating with companies like Waymo and General Motors’ Cruise, Uber aims to tap into new technologies and fulfill its goal of transitioning its entire fleet of vehicles to green energy.
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In 2020, Uber sold its own self-driving division to reduce cash burn and refocus on its core business areas, including ride-hailing and food delivery.
