Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet, has partnered with Moove, an African mobility fintech, to manage fleet operations for its robotaxi service in Phoenix and Miami. This partnership marks several firsts, including Waymo's entry into Miami and Moove's entry into the U.S. market, as well as its first collaboration with autonomous vehicles.

Moove, which has raised over $400 million from investors like Mubadala Investment Company and BlackRock, operates in various cities across Africa, the Middle East, India, and the U.K. The company offers vehicle financing to gig workers and has been an exclusive fleet partner for Uber. Earlier this year, Moove secured $100 million in a funding round led by Uber.

The partnership signals Waymo's intention to outsource more of the commercial side of its business and focus on developing its self-driving technology as a driver-as-a-service model. Waymo has been offering a commercial ride-hail service in Phoenix for years and began offering its robotaxis on the Uber app in October 2023. In early 2025, Waymo's robotaxis will be exclusively available on the Uber app in Austin and Atlanta.

Waymo co-CEO Tekendra Mawakana has stated that the company plans to create an ecosystem of industry partners, including charging infrastructure partners, fleet maintenance partners, and full-electric automotive partners like Jaguar Land Rover. Moove falls under the fleet maintenance partner umbrella, and will take over fleet operations in Phoenix and help Waymo build out the necessary charging infrastructure and depots for its fleet of Jaguar I-Paces in Miami.

In Miami, Waymo will start small-scale testing in early 2025, with a goal to launch a fully driverless commercial ride-hail service in the city in 2026. As the company tests, Moove will build out the infrastructure Waymo needs to deploy in Miami. Waymo's playbook for expanding into a new city typically involves manually testing a small fleet, mainly for mapping purposes, before testing autonomously with a safety operator behind the wheel, and then pulling the driver out and inviting employees to ride before launching commercially.

A spokesperson for Waymo cited Moove's global fleet management experience as a key factor in the partnership. Moove's experience working with Uber will likely prove helpful in its new partnership with Waymo. The company is also looking to secure new partnerships globally to diversify from Uber, and its experience managing operations for Waymo's autonomous fleets in two major U.S. cities is a significant step in that direction.

Moove has other plans in the U.S., with job listings on its website indicating a potential service in Los Angeles, although the nature of that service is unclear. A Waymo spokesperson confirmed that the two companies do not have plans to launch together in LA, where Waymo currently runs a commercial service. A Moove spokesperson declined to provide specifics on the company's U.S. recruitment efforts.

The partnership between Waymo and Moove marks a significant milestone for both companies, and demonstrates their commitment to expanding their reach in the autonomous vehicle and mobility markets. As Waymo continues to scale its autonomous vehicle operations, its partnership with Moove will play a crucial role in building out the necessary infrastructure and support systems for its robotaxi service.

In the broader context, this partnership highlights the growing importance of collaborations between companies in the autonomous vehicle and mobility spaces. As the industry continues to evolve, we can expect to see more partnerships and alliances emerge, driving innovation and growth in the years to come.