04-03-2025
Uber and Waymo officially launch autonomous vehicle service in Austin; what to know
Waymo's autonomous vehicles have been something of an Austin Easter egg for years, with locals often encountering them at stoplights or road crossings.
However, they will now be less of a tech-themed beautification project and more of a realistic option for getting around the city. Starting today, riders can be matched with a Waymo autonomous vehicle on the Uber app and travel across 37 square miles of Austin.
'Starting today, Austin riders can be matched with a Waymo autonomous vehicle on the Uber app, making their next trip even more special,' said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO at Uber. 'With Waymo's technology and Uber's proven platform, we're excited to introduce our customers to a future of transportation that is increasingly electric and autonomous.'
Nicole Gavel, Waymo's head of business development and strategic partnerships, emphasized the importance of the company's longstanding relationship with Austin.
"When we think about cities, especially the early cities that that we think about bringing Waymo One to, part of it is folks who are maybe early adopters to technology, or enthusiasts of technology and from a city government perspective, that are supporters of new innovations," Gavel said.
Eager Austinites can get into a Waymo-powered Uber by opting in via the Ride Preferences" section of the Uber app, found under Settings. This will give riders the best chance of being matched with a self-driving Waymo vehicle.
Uber riders in Austin who request an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric will be eligible to be matched with a Waymo fully autonomous all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicle.
Once the Waymo arrives, riders will be able to unlock the vehicle, open the trunk, and start the trip, all from their familiar Uber app.
According to Uber, riders matched with a Waymo vehicle will pay the same rates as UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric, and will receive upfront pricing in the Uber app.
Customers can rate their experience in-app, just like any typical Uber ride. However, riders will not be prompted to tip if matched with a Waymo autonomous vehicle.
Along with Uber's Waymo option officially launching Tuesday, the company will manage fleet services in partnership with Avomo for the first time.
This will include vehicle cleaning, maintenance, inspections, charging, and depot operations. Waymo remains responsible for vehicle testing, roadside assistance, and certain aspects of rider support.
Andrew Macdonald, Uber's senior vice president of mobility and business operations, said this launch is a continuation of the company's strategy to leverage social use cases to introduce new technology — similar to what it did during its early adoption in nightlife and events.
"You know, we're a technology company, but we operate in the real world, and that means you deal with the complexity and messiness of the real world," Macdonald said, "It's something we've solved in our core ride share business, and it's something autonomous vehicles are gonna' have to develop and get used to as well."
Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Uber and Waymo officially launch autonomous ride service across Austin
