On September 18th, U.S. media outlets reported that Via Transportation, a public transportation software developer that made its public debut last Friday, is set to team up with Waymo—Alphabet's autonomous driving subsidiary—to roll out an autonomous ride-sharing service in Arizona this autumn. For companies in the autonomous driving sector, forging partnerships with public entities has emerged as a pivotal strategy for extending their services into new urban areas.
Last year, Waymo kicked off a public transportation credit initiative in San Francisco. As a key player under Alphabet's umbrella, Waymo currently provides ride-hailing services across five U.S. markets. Through its proprietary app and in collaboration with partners, it facilitates hundreds of thousands of paid autonomous trips each week. Soon, Waymo will also be integrated into the Lyft platform, marking another significant step in its expansion.