Uber announced a partnership with Avride ( formerly known as Yandex Self-Driving Group), which will allow its customers (Uber) to travel (robotaxi) and accept orders (delivery) with the company's autonomous vehicles and robots (Avride).
Starting this week, Uber customers in Austin will be able to receive Uber Eats deliveries from Avride’s six-wheeled robots. That deal will later expand to Dallas and Jersey City, New Jersey. In 2025, Avride’s autonomous vehicles will be available to pick up some Uber customers in Dallas.
See also: Uber – Waymo: Robotaxi services in Austin and Atlanta
Yandex was founded in Russia in 1997 with the goal of dominating the country's online search market. But the company wanted to expand into the U.S. In 2009, it opened Yandex Labs in Palo Alto.
Its activities expanded into autonomous vehicles after the company's Yandex Taxi division acquired all of Uber's operations in Russia in 2017. The two companies formed a joint venture, with several Uber executives serving on Yandex's board. In 2018, Yandex launched the " operation robo-taxi world's first " in Moscow.
The company showed off a fully autonomous vehicle at CES in Las Vegas in 2020 and then began testing driverless cars in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Shortly after, it also began testing an order-delivery robot.
See also: Uber: Received a €290 million fine from the Dutch DPA
However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 affected the company's operations. Yandex was forced to suspend operations and lay off employeesas Western states began cutting ties with Russian businesses. Uber sold its stake in the company and its executives were removed from Yandex's board.
Earlier this year, Yandex Self-Driving was renamed Avride after the parent company (now called Nebius) was sold. The company is now headquartered in Austin.
Uber is now partnering with Avride to better serve its customers. Uber has previously announced partnerships with Waymo, Motional, and WeRide to provide self-driving car rides for customers . It is also working with Serve, Cartken, and Nuro to provide robot deliveries.
See also: Uber: Collaborates with Cruise for robo-taxi routes
These partnerships highlight the importance of teamwork in developing and implementing innovative technologies. By combining their expertise, these companies can accelerate progress towards a safer, more efficient transportation system that benefits both consumers and the environment.
Source: www.theverge.com
