Uber and Waymo’s robotaxi services are officially available in Atlanta. Now, Uber users who request an UberX, Comfort or Comfort Electric could have Waymo’s all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicle pull up for the same cost. Notably, customers will receive a notification ahead of time and can opt-out of having a self-driving vehicle.
At the same time, anyone who wants the experience can increase their chances by updating their ride preferences. “Atlantans are now able to experience the same safety, comfort, and convenience of Waymo’s fully autonomous driving technology that millions of people around the US — from San Francisco to Austin — currently have the access to,” Nicole Gavel, Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at Waymo, said in a statement.
The launch is a long time coming as Waymo first started tests in Atlanta back in January 2018. Then, last September, the company announced its services would arrive to Georgia’s capital city in “early 2025.” If you can count the first half of the year as “early” then Waymo is making it just under the wire.
Uber also provided an update on its Waymo fleet in Austin — launched in March. It now has 100 Waymo vehicles available in the city, with more coming. Uber claims that customers have given the rides in self-driving cars an average rating of 4.9 stars. However, there’s new competition in town, as Tesla launched its own robotaxi service on Sunday, June 22.
