Driverless Uber Rides Have Officially Entered Texas
Like it or not, the future is arriving in Texas. Whether you believe in the technology or not, it's here, and Austin is going to be the one to start testing it out.
Personally? I'm not ready for it, and I'm not sure I trust it all just yet. However, I know there are plenty who do think it's solid enough to use, so if you're one of those people, this is going to excite you.
Waymo is officially signing people up on their waitlist in Austin, and it's kind of a big deal.
WHAT IS WAYMO
If you don't know what Waymo is, allow me to explain it. It's a collaboration with Uber that is offering up driverless rides through their app.
They have a fleet of all-electric Jaguar SUVS that will be rolling around the streets without a driver, so essentially it's the perfect Uber ride for those who aren't particularly chatty or uncomfortable around other people.
WHEN DOES IT BEGIN
Wednesday will be the first day the driverless rides will be in operation, but in order to get one, you have to do a couple of things first.
Signing up for the waitlist is a must, as well as updating the Uber app on your device. If you don't do these things, you won't be able to get a driverless ride.
WHERE CAN THE DRIVERLESS CAR TAKE ME
Well, right now they're limiting the range in which it goes as they test it a bit further. It's slated to be available within a 37-square-mile portion of Austin that covers downtown, Hyde Park, and other areas.
IS IT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE IN OTHER CITIES
Over time, yes. Austin is only the fourth city in the U.S. to have the service available to them, so it's been a relatively slow rollout. As long as everything continues to go smoothly, you'll see it popping up in more major cities around Texas.
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Gallery Credit: Sarah Clark