Waymo is standing on business.
The robotaxi operator is launching a new service called Waymo for Business, aimed at companies that may want to set up Waymo accounts for their employees en masse. This new service allows employers to manage corporate accounts, customize promo codes for big events, track their transportation budget, and monitor ride activity.
Ultimately, its another instance of Waymo taking its cues from the traditional ridehailing industry, which for years has offered tools to employers for managing and covering the costs of employee and customer travel. Uber and Lyft launched their own business travel programs when they were the upstarts. Now Waymo is doing the same — but for robotaxis.
Waymo says it has been testing out its new service with a variety of “employers, universities, and event organizers” that are based in the cities in which the company operates. And so far, the feedback has been great. A representative from Carvana, for example, called Waymo “a natural fit for business travel.”
Waymo is touting its use of electric vehicles, as well as as its commitment to safety, as among the things businesses tend to prioritize when making travel decisions. The company doesn’t plan on offering any discounts to its enrollees, so Waymo for Business rides will cost the same as normal Waymo trips, but companies are free to subsidize their employees’ rides if they so choose.