Waymo for Business" starts: The revolution of business travel

Waymo, the autonomous vehicle division of Alphabet, is expanding its services to the business world. With the launch of "Waymo for Business," the company now offers a tailored solution for companies whose employees can rely on robotaxis in cities such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco in the future. This new program enables companies to subsidize their employees’ rides or purchase promo codes in bulk. These can then be distributed to customers, employees, or business partners. The ride costs remain the same as those of the regular service. Notably, Carvana, the online marketplace for used cars from Phoenix, was already acquired as one of the first customers. Unlike previous individual users who use the Waymo One app for their rides, companies receive access to an exclusive portal through "Waymo for Business." This offers extensive control options, such as geographical deployment areas and monitoring of driving activities and budgets. Waymo's future plans include expanding the business service model to new markets like Washington DC and Miami once commercial operations have commenced there. Over the past 18 months, Waymo has expanded its presence from Phoenix to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, and Atlanta, establishing itself as a leading provider in the USA. Furthermore, Waymo is pursuing additional customer retention strategies: In addition to expanding the geographical network, access to major airports, including Phoenix Sky Harbor and San José Mineta International, has been secured. This positions Waymo as a serious competitor to ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft. Partnerships, such as with public transportation company Via and special offers for teenagers, complete the portfolio.