Autonomous vehicles from Waymo, the self-driving car division of Alphabet Inc., plan to travel to Nashville, Tennessee.
In a significant move for the autonomous vehicle industry, Waymo and Lyft have announced a partnership to launch robotaxi services in multiple cities across the United States.
The collaboration, which was announced on Wednesday, will see Waymo's driverless vehicles transporting passengers in Phoenix, Dallas, and Nashville, Tennessee, in the coming year. Initially, robotaxi ride requests in Nashville will be limited to Waymo's own mobile app. However, later next year, ride requests will also be available on Lyft's app in Nashville.
Waymo's robotaxis have been offering rides in Phoenix, but only to a limited number through Lyft during the testing phase and to all interested passengers on its own app after the completion of the tests. The company plans to expand its operations into Dallas next year, marking its entry into the Lone Star State.
Meanwhile, in Nashville, Waymo will be competing with Tesla, which is testing a limited driverless service in the city. It's worth noting that Tesla is also a player in the autonomous vehicle market, offering its own autonomous taxi service in certain cities.
Interestingly, Waymo has chosen to team up with Lyft instead of its recent ride-hailing partner Uber for its Nashville plan. This shift in partnership could signal a new direction for Waymo's strategy in the ride-hailing market.
Lyft, on the other hand, has been making moves to strengthen its position in the industry. Two years ago, the company hired former Amazon executive David Risher as its CEO as part of its turnaround efforts. Risher previously negotiated a partnership with May Mobility that is providing driverless rides in Atlanta in competition with Waymo and Uber.
It's unclear at this time what the specific terms of Waymo's partnership with Lyft are, or whether this partnership will have any significant impact on the ride-hailing market. However, one thing is certain: the autonomous vehicle industry is moving forward, and partnerships like this one between Waymo and Lyft are shaping the future of transportation.
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