Waymo and Uber’s Austin robotaxi expansion begins today

Waymo and Uber’s robotaxi service is launching today in Austin, exclusively in the Uber app. The companies announced their plan to expand to Austin and Atlanta in September 2024, and Waymo raised a cool $5.6 billion in October to help pay for it.

Unlike the Waymo One service offered to riders in San Francisco and Los Angeles, interested Austin riders will get a chance to ride in a Waymo just by ordering an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort or Uber Comfort Electric ride, similar to how things are handled in Phoenix. You’re not guaranteed to receive a Waymo when you do order one of those rides, but Uber says you can increase your chances of receiving one by changing your “Ride Preferences” in the app. Upfront prices remain the same whether you get a Waymo or not, though if you do end up in a robotaxi, you won’t be prompted to tip. You’ll use the Uber app to unlock the Waymo, open its trunk and start your ride, too.

Uber says Waymo One will cover 37 square miles in Austin, and in a first for the company, Waymo vehicles themselves will be stored, cleaned and maintained by a third-party partner, Avomo, theoretically making the experience even more taxi-like than before.

Waymo won’t be the only major self-driving shop offering rides in Austin. Tesla’s robotaxi service is supposed to launch in the Texas capital in June. They’re not evenly matched so far, though. In May 2024, Waymo said it makes 50,000 paid trips every week. It remains to be seen how quickly Tesla will reach the same scale. For its part, Uber has expressed interest in offering Tesla rides through its app, too, though so far the EV company is operating on its own.