Uber Freight and Waymo Via are partnering to connect their technologies and deploy autonomous trucks at scale on the Uber Freight network.
According to both companies, the agreement is "an important milestone" that involves building the tools and infrastructure specific to deploying autonomous trucks for Uber Freight's shipper and carrier customers.
Carriers that purchase trucks equipped with the Waymo Driver can deploy their autonomous assets on the Uber Freight network. These applications will provide an experience for onboarding, load booking and execution, trailer transfers, and payment in an ecosystem where human drivers and autonomous trucks can collaborate in a hybrid network to move freight, the companies said in a release.
See also: Autonomous trucking: The benefits, challenges, and timeline
"Uber Freight's extensive, efficient, and reliable digital network is essential to making autonomous trucks a reality," said Lior Ron, head of Uber Freight. "We are uniquely positioned to be the preferred network for autonomous trucks, with the scale and the marketplace expertise to deploy autonomous trucks in a way that benefits the entire industry. This partnership is an exciting leap forward, and we are proud to work alongside the amazing team at Waymo Via to pioneer a hybrid freight network that truly empowers carriers and will ring in a new era of logistics."
Additionally, the companies will explore the transfer hub model with Uber Freight's universal trailer pool program, Powerloop, for transfers between autonomous trucks and human drivers to streamline operations between the first, middle, and final mile.
As part of the long-term agreement, Waymo Via intends to reserve billions of miles of its goods-only capacity for the Uber Freight network. For shippers, the scale and depth of this partnership means that Uber Freight, alongside Transplace, will be able to integrate autonomy into shipper networks and advise on how best to adjust their supply-chain strategies for a hybrid network future.
See also: Autonomous truck testing heats up under the Texas sun
"Uber Freight's network of shippers, carriers, and marketplace technology is a great match for the Waymo Driver," noted Charlie Jatt, head of commercialization for trucking at Waymo Via. "Through this partnership, we can empower carriers to fully utilize their investments in the Waymo Via solution through Uber Freight and create a great experience for shippers while keeping our focus on developing the core Driver technology. We're really excited to see how this partnership can impact the logistics industry and solve critical challenges over the next decade and beyond."
