Google spin-off Waymo set to beat Uber and Lyft to launch self-driving taxi service

Alphabet subsidiary Waymo will launch the world's first commercial self-driving taxi service within weeks, according to a report. The Google spin-off aims to begin accepting paying passengers in December, Bloomberg reported, with operations beginning in Phoenix, Arizona. A person familiar with the plans said that the self-driving car service will compete directly with Uber and Lyft, though will not operate under the name Waymo. Supercars that didn't make the showroom Supercars that didn't make the showroom The exact date of launch and the name of the service were not revealed, though it is expected to be a relatively quiet affair with a limited number of passengers. In an emailed statement to the publication, the company said: "Waymo has been working on self-driving technology for nearly a decade, with safety at the core of everything we do."