Waymo on Tuesday began offering robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas, through the Uber (NYSE:UBER) app.
The launch sets up Waymo to showcase its driverless technology during Austin’s annual South by Southwest festival that kicks off Friday. Approximately 300,000 people descend on the Texas capital to attend SXSW on average each year, according to the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“We can’t wait for Austin locals and visitors alike to experience Waymo One via the Uber app starting this week,” said Nicole Gavel, Waymo’s head of business development and strategic partnerships, in a statement.
Waymo previously said it would be launching in Austin, among several other U.S. cities, in 2025.
Austin is the first market where Uber will manage and dispatch a fleet of Waymo vehicles. Riders in Phoenix can book Waymo rides through the Uber app, but the ride-sharing company does not manage the Waymo fleet in that market. The two companies’ partnership will expand to Atlanta later this year, where Waymo employees have already begun taking fully autonomous trips across the city, the company said Tuesday.
Uber sold off its autonomous vehicle, or AV, unit in 2020 after a string of earlier safety incidents including one fatality. The two companies have not disclosed how they split revenue for Waymo rides booked through the Uber app.
UBER shares lost $2.40, or 3.2%, to $72.05.
