Uber Launches Waymo’s Self-Driving Taxis in Atlanta—Your Next Ride Might Be Robot-Powered

Uber just flipped the switch on Waymo's autonomous vehicles in Atlanta—marking another city where humans can (optionally) take a backseat. The move accelerates the race to dominate the robotaxi market, though skeptics wonder if this is growth or just another VC-funded science project.

Why Atlanta? The city's mix of sprawl and tech-savvy commuters makes it a prime testing ground. Waymo's sensor-laden Jaguars will now blend into Uber's app alongside human drivers—for now.

Wall Street yawns. Despite the hype, Uber's stock barely budged—because nothing says 'profitable disruption' like burning cash on stainless steel chauffeurs. Meanwhile, crypto traders nod approvingly at yet another real-world blockchain use case waiting to happen.

Uber is testing its market potential amidst robotaxis competition

Shares of Uber Technologies ROSE 8% on Tuesday after the company launched its first Waymo robotaxi service in Atlanta.

For Uber, the success of this Atlanta launch could influence investor opinion. The company has forged more than a dozen autonomous-vehicle alliances around the globe.

Uber says its popular app and its skill at matching riders with cars will bring in enough customers and money to cover the cost of self-driving cars.

Waymo currently operates about 1,500 self-driving cars, but it will take time before that number rivals the pool of human drivers Uber can draw on in its biggest markets. Some analysts worry that if Waymo does not expand beyond Austin and Atlanta, Uber’s ambitions in the autonomous space could stall.

As of now, around 100 Waymo vehicles are active on Uber in Austin. The companies expect to scale up to several hundred robotaxis serving both Austin and Atlanta over the next few years.

This robotaxis competition is rising in Atlanta. Lyft Inc. plans to start its own autonomous service, with safety operators onboard, in partnership with Toyota-backed May Mobility Inc. as soon as this summer. Amazon’s Zoox Inc. has also been testing driverless vehicles around downtown streets.

Meanwhile, rival Tesla opened its own self-driving taxi service in Austin on Sunday, charging a flat fee of $4.20 per trip. Each ride included an employee onboard for safety. Promoted heavily by CEO Elon Musk, the service is limited for now but marks Tesla’s entry into robotaxi hailing.

Tesla’s stock jumped on the launch, climbing as much as 11% in Monday trading before closing up 8% at $348.68, trimming its losses for the year to just under 7%. Moreover, the launch has added 19 billion to Musk’s net worth, making him top the billionaires list.

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