September 13, 2024 Uber and Waymo have partnered to offer robotaxi service in Austin and Atlanta in 2025 using the Uber app. Expanding service requires a lot of capital and running riding service require operating cost. Waymo wants to focus on the self driving technology and leave the customer service and fleet management to others. Uber has the expertise in ride dispatch and the customer base but they lack the self driving technology after they have closed it self driving group after a fatal accident. This partnership gives Uber a piece of the robotaxi market and Waymo can expand service without bleeding cash. Waymo will provide the vehicles and autonomous driving technology and road side assistance. Uber handles the daily cleanups, charging, and depot operation. User will hail the drive through the Uber app. Waymo is expected to have around hundreds of Waymo cars in those cities.
As robotaxi service proliferate, the people impacted the most maybe the Uber drivers. They will need to find new ways to participate in the ride sharing economy. Some may find work operating these robotaxi depots but a majority may need to work in another industry.
In San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles where Waymo operates its fleet without Uber, they offer a combined 100,000 paid trips weekly.
https://waymo.com/blog/2024/09/waymo-and-uber-expand-partnership