Waymo Expands Robotaxi Services to Nashville

Waymo has launched its robotaxi service in Nashville, marking the 11th city where the service is available. The service will initially operate in a 60-square-mile area, with riders able to hail rides through the Waymo app.

Waymo has taken a slow-roll approach to the launch, inviting riders on a rolling basis to allow the company to "thoughtfully scale while delivering a consistent, high-quality experience." The company has "dozens of vehicles" available in Nashville to serve the initial 60-square-mile area.

The Nashville launch also comes with a partner, Lyft, which will handle fleet services such as vehicle readiness and maintenance, charging infrastructure, and depot operations through its wholly owned subsidiary Flexdrive. This is different from Waymo's partnership with Uber in Atlanta and Austin, where customers have to use the Uber app to be matched with a robot, not a human driver.

In Nashville, potential customers will have two ways to land a robotaxi ride: through the Waymo app or, once the service expands, through the Lyft app. Waymo has taken a mixed approach to operations, pairing up with companies to help manage fleets and ride-hailing networks in most cities, while going it mostly alone in others, like San Francisco.

Waymo has been in Nashville for months, first manually driving, then testing its self-driving software with a human safety operator behind the wheel. The company's robotaxi services are now available in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Alphabet-owned company now has a significant presence in the robotaxi market, with $16 billion in new capital to continue expanding. Waymo's desire to be a technology supplier, not an operator, is also evident in its partnerships, which signal a long-term vision for the company.

• Waymo's partnerships with companies like Lyft and Uber allow the company to focus on developing its autonomous driving technology, while still expanding its services.
• The company's slow-roll approach to the launch in Nashville suggests a commitment to delivering a high-quality experience to riders.
• Waymo's expansion into new cities and markets will continue to shape the robotaxi industry and its potential impact on transportation.

The partnerships signal Waymo's desire to be a technology supplier, not an operator. At least in the long term. For now, Waymo continues to expand, and at a faster pace than the prior year.