Waymo and Via to offer robotaxis for public transit, starting with Arizona

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(Reuters) -Alphabet’s Waymo will offer its autonomous rides on Via Transportation’s public transit platform, starting with Chandler city in Arizona, the companies said on Thursday.

The service will be introduced this fall in the city’s on-demand small-scale public transportation service, Chandler Flex, which is powered by Via’s software.

The transit technology maker’s suite of software and technology-enabled services powers public transportation systems in hundreds of cities across more than 30 countries, the company said.

“We’re delighted that this partnership with Waymo paves the path for AVs (autonomous vehicles) to become accessible to millions of global public transit riders, enhancing mobility, lowering operating costs, and improving safety outcomes,” said Daniel Ramot, Via’s co-founder and CEO.

Waymo has been ramping up operations in the U.S. as the robotaxi race heats up. On Wednesday, it said that it plans to start offering autonomous cab rides in Nashville, Tennessee, next year in collaboration with ride-hailing firm Lyft.

After starting in Phoenix in 2020, Waymo now offers paid driverless rides to the public in the San Francisco Bay Area, along with parts of Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta.

EV maker Tesla deployed a limited robotaxi service in Austin in June. The company has said it plans to expand the service to the San Francisco Bay Area.

(Reporting by Yazhini MV in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)