ATLANTA — Uber is opening a waitlist today for riders interested in trying out driverless Waymo vehicles ahead of a planned summer launch in Atlanta. The autonomous ride service will initially operate within a 65-square-mile zone, covering Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead.
While Uber has not disclosed how many Waymo vehicles will be part of the Atlanta rollout, the company says the fleet will expand into the hundreds over time. Select users on the waitlist may be invited to take early test rides and provide feedback before the full launch later this summer.
Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are already operating in Austin, Texas, where they currently account for 20% of Uber rides in that market. In Atlanta, the rides will be available exclusively through the Uber app.
Uber’s move into autonomous rides comes as competitor Lyft also prepares to launch its own driverless service, in partnership with May Mobility, a Toyota-backed startup.
The introduction of autonomous vehicles marks a significant shift in Atlanta’s rideshare landscape, as both companies race to bring self-driving technology to one of the region’s busiest urban centers.
WSB’s Ashley Simmons contributed to this story.
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