Alphabet Inc.-backed (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) Waymo has reportedly acquired Apple Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:AAPL) self-driving proving facility in Arizona for $220 million.
Waymo Acquires Apple Facility
On Monday, the Phoenix Business Journal first reported that Waymo acquired the property from Delaware-based Route 14 Investment Partners LLC, which is associated with Apple. The 5,500-acre facility includes a 115-acre city course, as well as a four-mile oval track and a freeway course.
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Waymo didn’t immediately respond to Benzinga‘s request for comment.
Apple acquired it for $125 million in 2021, with the Cupertino-based giant undertaking development efforts for proprietary self-driving technology since 2014 under the project “Titan” initiative. However, it was ultimately scrapped in 2024 after having spent over $1 billion annually on the project.
Waymo’s Uber Solution, Robotaxi Recall
While Waymo has been at the forefront of the U.S. Robotaxi revolution, the company has faced a few hiccups recently, with a Waymo customer reportedly asking to hail an Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) or a Lyft Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT) cab after the Robotaxi abruptly ended the ride.
Waymo also operates in cities like Atlanta in partnership with Uber. However, some of the ride-hailing giant’s executives painted AV-only operators like Waymo as less scalable and less reliable. The executives, instead, touted a hybrid approach with human drivers and Robotaxis being offered on ride-hailing platforms.
The operator also issued a recall for over 3,791 autonomous vehicles after a software glitch affecting its latest self-driving stack came to light. The issue stems from a glitch that could likely cause the Robotaxis to drive onto flooded roads.
Following the reports, a Waymo spokesperson said that the company had filed a “voluntary recall” with the authorities after identifying an “area of improvement regarding untraversable flooded lanes” specific to highways. Notably, Waymo currently operates in more than 10 cities across the U.S.
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