Waymo will have Horrible unit economics for 5-10 years and Uber can make money from them from day 1 of the partnership.

Rating: Mostly False Severity: Medium Check Date: 2024-09-14

Explanation

The statement presents a stark comparison between Waymo's future unit economics and Uber's expected profitability from their partnership. However, insights from a recent JPMorgan analysis indicate that Waymo has positive unit economics in San Francisco, contradicting the claim of 'horrible' unit economics. Furthermore, the expanding partnership implies that Uber will leverage Waymo's technology, which could enhance fleet efficiency and operational synergies, potentially allowing Uber to monetize the arrangement effectively from inception. Given that Waymo's vehicles are designed to operate autonomously, they may indeed face underutilization during specific hours; however, over a longer horizon, their operational capacity could improve as the market matures and penetration increases. Therefore, while Uber's ability to earn revenue soon is plausible, the assertion about Waymo's long-term economic outlook lacks supporting evidence.

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