Uber users in Phoenix are now able to book driverless rides from Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Alphabet. This is the first time Uber has offered fully autonomous rides.
To book a driverless ride, Uber users in Phoenix simply need to request an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric ride. If a Waymo vehicle is available in the area, the user may be matched with that vehicle instead of a traditional Uber vehicle.
Users will have the option to decline the match if they prefer to ride with a human driver. Alternatively, riders eager to explore the autonomous realm can tailor their preferences to increase the likelihood of being matched with an autonomous Waymo vehicle.
The pricing for a Waymo ride is transparent, displayed upfront, and aligns with the rates of an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric fare. To commence the ride, passengers simply unlock the Waymo vehicle by tapping a prompt within the Uber app and then proceed to initiate the journey with another tap. Throughout the autonomous ride, Uber users will retain access to the Uber support team.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi expressed the significance of this milestone, emphasizing the company’s dedication to incorporating safe and reliable autonomous driving technology into its platform. The collaboration is poised to expand the coexistence of human drivers and autonomous vehicles on the Uber network.
The sources for this piece include an article in Engadget.