Waymo and Lyft partner to bring robotaxi service to Nashville

Waymo and Lyft on Wednesday announced a partnership to bring Waymo's fully autonomous robotaxi service to Nashville, with vehicle testing set to begin later this year and public service expected in the near term. Under the agreement, Waymo will deploy a fleet of all-electric Jaguar I-Pace robotaxis in the Nashville area and will initially allow riders to hail vehicles through the Waymo app, with Lyft to begin matching users to Waymo rides through its own app once the service expands.

Waymo said it will handle vehicle testing, roadside assistance and certain elements of rider support, while Lyft will manage end-to-end fleet services through its wholly owned subsidiary Flexdrive. Lyft told reporters it will invest in a purpose-built autonomous vehicle facility to support the fleet and will be responsible for vehicle readiness, maintenance, charging infrastructure and depot operations in the region.

The partnership is similar to Waymo's existing arrangements with other ridehailing firms but includes one notable difference. In Atlanta and Austin, where Waymo operates in partnership with Uber, customers must request rides through the Uber app and may be matched with Waymo vehicles....