Lyft riders in central Nashville can now be matched with fully autonomous Waymo vehicles at no additional cost, making Nashville the first market where Waymo operates across both the Waymo and Lyft apps. Lyft and Waymo said this week that riders requesting Standard, Priority Pickup, Wait & Save, or Extra Comfort rides may be paired with a Waymo vehicle through the Lyft app when the trip starts and ends inside the Waymo service area. The companies said availability will grow gradually over the coming weeks as they dispatch vehicles from a single fleet across both networks.
Highlights
- Four ride types eligible: Standard, Priority Pickup, Wait & Save, and Extra Comfort requests in central Nashville can be matched with a Waymo vehicle at no extra charge.
- Five-zone service area: Matching requires a route that begins and ends within the Waymo service area on Lyft, covering Downtown/Broadway, North Nashville/Germantown, East Nashville, Midtown, and South Nashville.
- 80,000-square-foot depot: Lyft subsidiary Flexdrive is providing fleet management for Waymo in Nashville and will open a purpose-built facility in October.
- 70-plus new roles: The Flexdrive facility is adding more than 70 full-time positions in Nashville this year, many filled by former Lyft drivers, according to the company.
How Does Waymo Matching Work on the Lyft App?
Riders requesting one of the four eligible ride types within central Nashville will begin to be matched with a Waymo vehicle through the Lyft app, the companies said. Eligibility depends on geography: the route must start and end within the Waymo service area on Lyft, which covers Downtown/Broadway, North Nashville/Germantown, East Nashville, Midtown, and South Nashville.
Lyft and Waymo said they are dispatching vehicles from a single fleet dynamically across both networks, with availability on Lyft expanding over the coming weeks. Riders can decline an autonomous ride or opt out of autonomous matching entirely. Human drivers continue to serve riders throughout and around the service area, creating what Lyft describes as a hybrid network of human-driven and autonomously driven vehicles.
“Nashville riders have been quick to embrace autonomous vehicles as part of how they get around the city. Adding Waymo vehicles to our marketplace is a natural fit,” said Sid Patil, Head of Rideshare at Lyft. “Lyft and Waymo are joining hands to bring this amazing piece of technology to more riders in a seamless way.”
“Our goal is to bring the safety, reliability, and magic of the Waymo Driver to as many people as possible,” said Nicole Gavel, Senior Director, Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at Waymo. “Partnering with Lyft gives Nashvillians even more ways to experience fully autonomous rides—whether they’re booking directly on the Waymo app or getting matched on Lyft—as we scale our fleet across Music City.”
The Lyft-app integration completes the two-app model the companies laid out when they first announced the Nashville partnership, which called for Waymo-app hailing first and Lyft-network matching later in 2026.
Flexdrive Fleet Management and the Nashville Depot
Lyft’s Flexdrive subsidiary is providing fleet management for Waymo in Nashville and will open a purpose-built depot covering 80,000 square feet in October. Lyft said Flexdrive brings more than a decade of experience managing high-mileage rideshare vehicles to the autonomous fleet, along with visibility into supply and demand trends that the company says helps optimize service times and vehicle utilization across both networks.
The Nashville facility is adding more than 70 new full-time roles this year, including skilled technicians, fleet operations leads and coordinators, and service coordinators. According to Lyft, many of the new hires were formerly drivers on its network. The depot supports the Waymo fleet that has been carrying public riders since Waymo opened its Nashville service earlier this year.
Driver Engagement Alongside the Autonomous Rollout
Lyft said it views autonomous vehicles as a supporting layer to its existing driver community. The company has hosted multiple Driver Autonomous Forum sessions with local drivers across tenure levels to gather their perspectives on autonomous vehicles arriving in Nashville. In August, Lyft held a driver appreciation event featuring Head of Driver Yuko Yamazaki, who answered questions about the partnership and shared information on tools intended to help drivers refine their driving strategies.
“Nashville is a hub for travelers, event goers, and visitors, and our drivers here deliver a level of hospitality and service I’m incredibly proud of,” said Yuko Yamazaki, Head of Driver at Lyft. “Demand in this city keeps climbing, and I believe we’re strongest in serving more riders when autonomous vehicles and human drivers grow side by side.”
Lyft said it will continue outreach through events and direct communication and plans to keep developing driver-focused tools, including Weekly Planner, Guidance Heatmap, and Turbo bonuses.
