Get Ready For Driverless Rides In Phoenix As Uber Collaborates With Waymo

Starting today, Uber riders in Phoenix may find themselves being picked up by a driverless Waymo vehicle. The partnership between Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) and Alphabet Inc.‘s Waymo (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) autonomous taxi division, enables customers within Waymo’s service area to choose between a conventional Uber car and a driverless Waymo vehicle.

Waymo has been gradually expanding its service to more public areas and locations, reported Electrek. The company’s Phoenix service area, which spans a total of 225 square miles, is its most extensive and has been operational since 2017. This area includes downtown Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, and the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport.

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When a user requests an Uber pickup within Waymo’s service area, they may receive a notification that a driverless Waymo vehicle has been chosen for their ride. They can either accept or decline this option. The system does not require any additional registration with Waymo One, nor does it necessitate any special settings within the Uber app.

Uber previously had a self-driving technology arm operating in California and Arizona, which was sold off in 2020 following several setbacks. This new partnership with Waymo marks a significant shift in Uber’s approach to autonomous riding.

As the technology for self-driving taxis improves, it is anticipated that these vehicles could help save on labor costs, making rides cheaper and more accessible for users. However, this also raises concerns about wealth concentration and job displacement in the driving industry.

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