Starting from January 2028, Waymo robotaxis in Austin and Atlanta will be booked through Waymo's own app instead of Uber's(techcrunch.com)
Writing language: KoreanRead in the original language
Plain summary
- Waymo said it will end the practice of calling its driverless taxis (robotaxis) through the Uber app in Austin and Atlanta from January 2028, and will offer rides through its own smartphone app, as it does in other cities.
- Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said in a Bloomberg interview that the company chose Uber because of scale, but that riders found it hard to tell whether the car they called was a robotaxi or a human-driven car, so the experience was inconsistent.
- Her remarks confirm what the Financial Times reported earlier this year. The companies' contract was originally set to expire in May 2028. Uber said it was Waymo's idea not to add a direct robotaxi booking option to the Uber app.
Editorial opinion
O: This is useful for a scene where a rider who often called Waymo robotaxis in Austin or Atlanta through the Uber app installs Waymo's own app in advance, ahead of the January 2028 transition, and compares the two ways of calling.
X: The timing of the change and the passenger experience details are based on remarks the co-CEO made in press interviews. Keep in mind that contract documents and detailed post-transition operating plans have not been confirmed.
Writing language: Korean
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