Uber And Waymo Collaborate To Offer Driverless Cars On Uber Platform

Autonomous taxi service from Waymo. (photo: twitter @macmixing)

JAKARTA - Uber Technologies Inc., will offer driverless cars on their food delivery and transportation service provider platform later this year through a partnership with Alphabet Inc's Waymo. This was conveyed by the two companies.

Uber customers will be able to use a number of driverless cars from Waymo for trips and delivery in an area of 180 square miles in Phoenix, Arizona, a blog said on Tuesday, May 23.

We’re partnering with Uber to bring fully autonomous driving technology to even more people as we continue to scale. Later this year, Phoenicians will be able to use Waymo directly via the Uber app. 🤖🚘🏜️ https://t.co/EwOQMvs0aa pic.twitter.com/N8OVsOyc3i

— Waymo (@Waymo) May 23, 2023

We’re partnering with Uber to bring fully autonomous driving technology to even more people as we continue to scale. Later this year, Phoenicians will be able to use Waymo directly via the Uber app. 🤖🚘🏜️ https://t.co/EwOQMvs0aa pic.twitter.com/N8OVsOyc3i

Commercializing fully autonomous vehicles, especially robotic taxis, has been more difficult than expected due to strict regulations, complicated technology, and large investments that force some companies to cut jobs and even close.

The Uber wide network will provide an opportunity for Waymo, who is also operating in San Francisco and plans to expand into Los Angeles. "We want to reach more people," said Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana, quoted by Reuters.

For Uber, this is an impetus for the ambitions of the autonomous vehicles they have had for a long time, especially when their ride-hailing service hit pre-pandemic levels. "Autonomous drivers are quickly becoming a part of everyday life, and we are excited to bring Waymo's incredible technology to the Uber platform," said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.

The agreement also links two competing competitors. Uber and Waymo were involved in a heated dispute over trade secrets in 2017, after Waymo filed a lawsuit stating that one of its former engineers who later became the head of the Uber autonomous car project brought thousands of classified documents with him.

In the end, Uber agreed to pay Waymo 245 million US dollars (Rp 3.6 trillion) in stock and settle the case.

Last year, Waymo and its Uber freight delivery unit partnered to assist customers in implementing autonomous trucks more efficiently.