Waymo, the Alphabet-owned robotaxi company, said it would work with Lyft to roll out an autonomous ride-hail service in Nashville next year—Waymo’s first major commercial partnership with the mobility company as it attempts to scale its service around the country.
The new alliance underscores how Waymo is keeping its options open and is avoiding getting too close with any one company—at least for now. Earlier this year, Waymo started working with Lyft competitor Uber in Austin and Atlanta, and it is planning to launch in Miami and Dallas by working with electric vehicle fleet company Moove and car rental company Avis Budget Group.
