Uber is launching an “interest list” for users in Austin, Texas, who want early access to Waymo robotaxis. The upcoming Uber-Waymo service will span 37 square miles of Austin and offer rides in Jaguar iPace electric vehicles equipped with Waymo’s autonomous driving systems. Riders can hail these Waymo-branded vehicles through the Uber app, a departure from Waymo’s San Francisco and Los Angeles operations that rely on the Waymo One app. Uber’s move follows investor pressure to expand its autonomous vehicle strategy and comes as Tesla promises to launch a driverless ride-hailing service in Austin later this year.
