Alphabet Inc.’s self-driving trucking unit Waymo Via and Uber Technology Inc.’s freight business said they have signed a long-term strategic partnership that will allow future customers to more efficiently deploy autonomous trucks.
Alphabet Inc.’s self-driving trucking unit Waymo Via and Uber Technology Inc.’s freight business said Tuesday they have signed a long-term strategic partnership that will allow future customers to more efficiently deploy autonomous trucks.
The companies did not share a timeline for when their partnership could be used by payment customers, and Waymo and Uber Freight declined to disclose the financial details of the agreement.
Under the partnership, future Waymo customers can use Uber Freight to more efficiently plan their automated and human-powered trucking fleets.
Uber Freight’s software acts as an intermediary to connect truckers with shippers to reduce shipping costs and expensive empty cargo miles. Uber made a strong foray into the trucking market last year by buying logistics company Transplace for $2.25 billion.
This partnership marks the latest in a series of company tie-ups in the autonomous trucking space as technology companies race to commercialize their products.
Companies including Waymo, TuSimple Holdings Inc, Aurora Innovation Inc and others expect to sell self-driving trucking services to logistics companies and large retailers in the coming years. Under those business models, customers would buy and own self-driving trucks and pay per mile usage fees to tech companies.
In late 2020 Uber sold its self-driving unit to Waymo-competitor Aurora and holds about 43% stake in the company. Aurora said in December that it had partnered with Uber Freight.
Waymo said it plans to launch its first fully driverless truck “in the next few years” starting on Texas I-45 between Dallas and Houston.
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