Waymo is teaming up with Lyft to introduce driverless ride-hailing in Nashville, with the service expected to roll out to the public in 2026. The partnership will bring a fleet of fully autonomous, all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles to Tennessee’s capital, marking another milestone in Waymo’s U.S. expansion.
Testing to Begin Ahead of Public Launch
Waymo, owned by Alphabet, confirmed that its fleet of self-driving all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles will begin testing on Nashville streets in the coming months. Once the trial phase concludes, residents and visitors in “Music City” will be able to book rides through both the Waymo and Lyft apps, offering two different entry points into the service.
This dual-app system sets the Lyft deal apart from Waymo’s earlier partnership with Uber in Atlanta and Austin. In those markets, rides can only be hailed through the Uber app, meaning passengers are matched at random with either a robotaxi or a human driver. By contrast, Nashville customers will have more direct access to autonomous rides.
How the Partnership Works
Under the agreement, Waymo will focus on vehicle operation, safety, and rider support, while Lyft takes charge of day-to-day fleet management through its Flexdrive subsidiary. Lyft will oversee vehicle cleaning, inspections, charging, and maintenance, and has pledged to build a dedicated autonomous vehicle facility in Nashville to support the rollout.
Expanding Beyond Early Markets
Waymo began as Google’s self-driving car project in 2009 before rebranding in 2016 and launching its commercial Waymo One service in 2020. The company has since logged over 10 million paid trips and currently operates in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, and Atlanta, with additional launches planned in Miami, Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Denver.
Earlier this year, Waymo expanded into Atlanta and Austin with Uber. The company also has international expansion plans, eyeing Japan as one of their first deployments beyond the U.S.
