Since March 4, residents and visitors to the city of Austin, Texas, have been able to take a ride in a Waymo autonomous vehicle using their Uber app. Riders can travel across 37 square miles of Austin – from Hyde Park to Downtown to Montopolis – with plans to expand in the future.
Riders who request an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort or Uber Comfort Electric could be matched with a Waymo fully autonomous all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicle – at no additional cost. Before a nearby Waymo vehicle is sent, passengers will have the option to accept or switch to a non-AV ride. Waymo rides in Austin are only available on the Uber app.
Once the Waymo arrives, riders can unlock the vehicle, open the trunk and start the trip – all from their familiar Uber app. If assistance is needed at any time, riders will have access to 24/7 customer support, accessible in both the Uber app and inside the vehicle.
Uber customers in Austin keen to ride in a Waymo vehicle can boost their chances of getting matched by opting in via the Ride Preferences section of their Uber app under Settings.
Uber has announced it will next team with Waymo in Atlanta, Georgia. Employees are already taking fully autonomous trips with Waymo in the city, a key step as the company prepares to offer Waymo rides to the public – exclusively on Uber.