Via Transportation partners with Waymo to launch autonomous ride-sharing service in Arizona this fall
Via Transportation collaborates with Waymo to launch autonomous ride-sharing services in Arizona this fall. The project will start in Chandler, where users can book autonomous ride services through the Waymo app. Waymo currently offers ride-hailing services in five markets in the United States, and the partnership will expand the capacity of the Flex public "micro-transit" service. Users can access the autonomous service for $2 during the operational hours of the Flex project in the city
According to Zhitong Finance APP, Via Transportation (VIA.US), a public transportation service platform that just completed its listing last Friday, will collaborate with Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet (GOOGL.US), to launch an autonomous ride-sharing service in Arizona this fall.
The project will start in Chandler. The existing Flex service in the area allows the public to book affordable shared shuttle buses through an app. A spokesperson for Via stated that during peak demand periods, the service will offer some users the option to book autonomous rides through the Waymo app.
For autonomous driving companies, public partnerships are becoming an important new area of expansion as they strive to extend services to more cities. Last year, Waymo launched a public transportation points program in San Francisco. Waymo currently offers ride-hailing services in five markets across the United States and completes hundreds of thousands of paid autonomous trips weekly through its own app and partner platforms, including Uber (UBER.US) and the soon-to-join Lyft (LYFT.US).
In Chandler, Waymo's involvement will help expand the capacity of the Flex public "micro-transit" service. Since the partnership began in 2022, Via has provided demand matching and route planning technology for the service. Via's software also allows the city government to monitor service performance and meet requirements for federal funding, compliance, and accessibility reporting. Users can access the autonomous service at the same price during the operational hours of the city's Flex program, which charges $2 per ride.
It is worth mentioning that Chandler was the city where Waymo first launched its autonomous ride-hailing service in 2020. By integrating its vehicles into the city's public transportation program, Waymo can not only ensure higher utilization of its vehicles but also provide users with the service at a lower cost
