25-06-2025
Self-driving Ubers arrive in Atlanta
Atlanta's experiment with a robotaxi future has begun.
Driving the news: Dozens of Waymo vehicles are now available to any and all Uber users when selecting UberX, Comfort or Comfort Electric in the app.
Why it matters: The addition of Waymo's all-electric, self-driving fleet to Atlanta streets make the city an early proving ground for autonomous tech.
In the coming months, the number of vehicles carrying riders in a 65-mile service area from Buckhead to Capitol View could number in the hundreds, Uber's Conor Ferguson told Axios.
How it works: Uber users request a Waymo autonomous vehicle from a fleet of Jaguar I-PACEs, with Georgia-made Hyundai Ioniqs planned for the future.
If a Waymo is nearby, it may be dispatched (riders can confirm or opt out before the vehicle heads their way).
A digital dome atop the car lights up with the rider's initials. Once the rider confirms the ride and buckles up, the vehicle starts moving.
The vehicle's exterior and interior has cameras to record incidents and rule violations, and 24-7 support staff can hear inside in the vehicle only after an incident or to assist.
What they're saying: Camiel Irving, a vice president of operations at Uber, told Axios they brought the partnership here because "Atlanta is a city that's always open to innovation."
The intrigue: During Uber and Waymo's road testing and early access period, some residents reported seeing the robotaxis stopping awkwardly or driving too cautiously.
Waymo says drivers who witness those moments often lack full context and, in some instances, are simply getting used to driverless vehicles.
For example, two accidents on Carroll Street, Cabbagetown's narrow main drag, were caused by human error, Waymo's Ethan Teicher told Axios.
The bottom line: Waymo's success depends on riders' safety. Across 71 million driverless miles, according to the company's safety report, Waymo has recorded 88% fewer serious injury collisions than human drivers.
"We're building the world's most trusted driver," Teicher said, adding that the vehicles are always learning and building upon their knowledge of city streets and Atlanta's erratic driver behavior.
Threat level: Some Atlanta Uber drivers eyed the rollout with skepticism and suspicion about the potential effects on actual human drivers' earnings.
Local drivers shouldn't notice a change, Camiel Irving, a vice president of operations at Uber, told Axios. Users in Austin continue to request human drivers, Irving said.
Thomas' thought bubble: I took a demo ride in Old Fourth Ward and Inman Park yesterday.
