Former rivals Waymo Via and Uber Freight join forces for autonomous trucks

Uber Freight and Waymo Via have reportedly entered into a long-term partnership that will involve using Uber’s technology in Waymo’s autonomous trucks. Carriers using Waymo’s self-driving trucks will have the option to use Uber Freight’s software tools to complete tasks such as load booking, trailer transfers, and the ultimate transportation and delivery of goods. 

For the time being, Waymo is testing out Uber’s technology with its current test fleet. Still, the companies will reportedly be developing a “product roadmap” that will dictate the eventual deployment of Waymo’s trucks using Uber’s nationwide network. 

Uber said the collaboration “brings together the power of Waymo’s autonomous driving technology with the scale of Uber Freight’s network and leading marketplace technology, unlocking a road map for the thoughtful and safe implementation of autonomous trucks on roads across the U.S.”

The two companies have not always been friendly, as they were tangled in a legal battle after Waymo accused Uber of patent infringement and the theft of trade secrets. The case was ultimately settled in early 2018, with Waymo receiving approximately $245 million. At that time, Uber’s Chief Executive Officer, Dara Khosrowshahi, denied wrongdoing by his company and issued an apology to Uber employees who had been “distracted from [their] mission[s]” while the case proceeded in court. 

The collaboration will be in the beta testing phase for some time, but Uber indicated the partnership is serious, as Waymo reportedly “intends to reserve billions of miles of its goods-only capacity for the Uber Freight network.”

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