Waymo plans to launch self-driving taxi service next month

Alphabet’s Waymo unit is gearing up to roll out a fleet of self-driving taxis as early as next month, according to a report.

The driverless car company’s not-yet-named ride-hailing service is expected to roll out in Phoenix and its surrounding suburbs, according to Bloomberg, which cited sources familiar with the matter.

That’s where it has been operating a secretive testing program involving Chrysler Pacifica minivans equipped with its self-driving tech.

With the rollout, Waymo appears on track to beat rival Uber to the punch to deliver autonomous vehicle rides to customers.

The service’s fares will be in the same price range as Uber’s and Lyft’s. And though the cars will be self-driving, Waymo will keep drivers in the vehicles at first, should any of the cars get themselves into a tricky situation that the computer can’t handle.

“Waymo has been working on self-driving technology for nearly a decade, with safety at the core of everything we do,” a Waymo spokesperson told Bloomberg.