Waymo plans to end its exclusive robotaxi distribution arrangement with Uber in Austin and Atlanta starting in January 2028, allowing customers in those cities to request its driverless vehicles directly through Waymo's own app, according to reporting this week.
The details
- Today, riders in Austin and Atlanta reach Waymo's driverless cars through the Uber app.
- From January 2028, Waymo intends to also offer rides through its own app in both cities.
- Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said the decision followed customer feedback, noting that riders using Uber can't always be guaranteed a Waymo vehicle.
- The change does not immediately end the partnership, and the companies continue to cooperate in other areas.
Why it matters
The move shows how robotaxi companies are thinking about the customer relationship. Partnering with a ride-hailing platform gives a new service instant access to millions of users. Running your own app gives you direct control over pricing, ride availability and the customer experience.
It comes as Uber is expanding its own autonomous plans. In its latest quarterly results, Uber said it expects about 700 fully driverless vehicles on its platform by the end of 2026 and is targeting more than 2,000 in 2027.
What happens next
The change is more than a year away, and many details — pricing, how the two apps will coexist in those cities and whether similar changes could follow elsewhere — have not been announced.
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