Through its early rider program, Waymo has learned from its early riders that most of their rides are to run errands, shop for groceries, commute to work, head to dinner or fix their personal vehicles.

With this in mind, Waymo has launched several initiatives to continue testing its self-driving cars in Metro Phoenix, while meeting the “top rider needs.”

“We’re proud to be a part of Metro Phoenix and are excited to grow and add partnerships that support the cities we operate in, bring unique value to our riders, and give more people access to a safe, self-driving future,” Waymo says in a blog post.

Among the initiatives, Waymo has announced the launch of two pilots with Walmart and DDR Corp., which will serve “to make shopping more convenient.”

This week, Waymo and Walmart plan on launching a test pilot that gives early riders savings on groceries each week when they are ordered on Walmart.com. While orders are being prepared at the store, Waymo’s self-driving vehicles will carry riders to and from Walmart to collect their groceries.

Meanwhile, DDR will offer rides in Waymo’s self-driving vehicles to shoppers and diners who want to visit Ahwatukee Foothills Towne Center in Chandler, Arizona, in an effort to help customers “avoid the stress of parking lots,” Waymo says.

In addition to its partnerships with Walmart and DDR, Waymo has also teamed up with Element Hotel in Chandler to give select guests access to Waymo's vehicles. For example, business travelers who need to commute to and from the office during their frequent stays will have the opportunity to experience fully self-driving technology.

Lastly, Waymo will expand its existing partnerships with AutoNation and Avis Budget Group. AutoNation already helps Waymo service and maintain its vehicles in Phoenix. Now, while customers are having their personal vehicles serviced, AutoNation will offer those customers a vehicle from Waymo to get around, instead of a loaner car.

Avis Budget Group on the other hand makes sure that Waymo’s vehicles are charged, refueled, and presentable for riders. Soon, it will also offer Waymos as a “last mile solution” for Avis customers in Phoenix to help them pick up or drop off their rental cars, beginning with their two Chandler locations.

“Avis and AutoNation are ideal partners, providing different and complementary support and maintenance services to our growing fleet of self-driving cars in Phoenix over the past year and ensuring they are always ready to pick up a rider,” Waymo says.

​These partnerships are Metro Phoenix-specific, but Waymo points out that the businesses are national, and the lessons learned from these programs will give the company a network of partners when they launch in new cities in the future.