Investing.com -- Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE: UBER ) stock rose 2.75% in premarket trading Tuesday after the company announced the launch of autonomous ride services in Atlanta in partnership with Waymo.
Starting today, Atlanta residents can be matched with a Waymo autonomous vehicle through the Uber app, expanding on the existing partnership that began in Austin. Riders who request UberX, Comfort, or Comfort Electric services may be matched with a Waymo fully autonomous all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicle at no additional cost, with the option to accept or switch to a non-autonomous ride.
The service will initially cover 65 square miles of Atlanta, spanning from Downtown to Buckhead to Capitol View, with plans for future expansion. Customers can increase their chances of being matched with a Waymo vehicle by opting in through the Ride Preferences section in the Uber app settings.
In Austin, where the Waymo partnership is already operational, there are currently 100 Waymo vehicles on the Uber platform, with the fleet expanding across both cities. According to Uber, Austin customers have rated their Waymo trips with an average of 4.9 stars.
The companies emphasized safety as a priority, noting that Waymo vehicles have logged tens of millions of fully autonomous miles on public roads. Riders will have access to 24/7 customer support through both the Uber app and Waymo’s in-car screens.