Ride-hailing giant Uber revealed a new partnership with driverless technology pioneer Waymo to launch robotaxis in Austin and Atlanta next year, following a successful deployment in Phoenix. The move comes after a legal battle over stolen trade secrets and signals a shift towards collaboration between the two companies.
Uber is also planning to work with General Motors’ Cruise subsidiary to deploy driverless cars, though the locations have not yet been confirmed. This partnership with Cruise may not include California due to a license suspension following a fatal incident in San Francisco in 2023.
Waymo’s robotaxis, which have a strong safety record, will be available on Uber’s app in multiple cities next year, a departure from their own platform. This move is aimed at expanding Waymo’s market reach and generating revenue for parent company Alphabet.
This collaboration between Uber and Waymo marks a significant change from previous legal disputes, including a settlement in 2018 and the criminal charges against former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and Google engineer Anthony Levandowski. Levandowski was later pardoned by President Donald Trump. Uber has since sold its self-driving car division after a fatal accident in 2018.
The growing partnership between Uber and Waymo highlights a shift towards cooperation in the autonomous driving industry and a focus on expanding services to new markets.
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