Google Launches Its Own Ride-Sharing Pilot Project
SHARE

Watch out Uber, Lyft, and Via: there’s a new ride-sharing service in town. On Monday, Google-owned Waze unveiled a pilot carpooling service for approximately 25,000 commuters in California’s Bay Area, as Quartz reports. Waze matches riders with drivers already headed along similar routes during morning and evening rush hours, and amazingly, charges riders a basic rate of only $0.54 a mile. Since car insurance policies in states including California typically cover “not for profit, share-the-expense carpooling,” Waze Carpool may be able to avoid the scrutiny around insurance coverage that has at times sidelined Uber and Lyft.

It’s just a trial right now, but the long-term ramifications of Waze’s rider app could make for a serious challenge to Uber and its ilk — at least when it comes to carpooling services.

This article has been updated to comply with Popular Science’s editorial guidelines.