Waymo will begin separating from Uber in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028, co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana told Bloomberg News. The company plans to make rides available directly through its own smartphone app in those markets, as it does in other cities.
Uber told TechCrunch that it still intends to host Waymo robotaxis on its app for as long as the companies remain in agreement. Waymo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The planned split comes ahead of the partnership’s scheduled expiration in May 2028. Mawakana said Waymo originally partnered with Uber to benefit from the ride-hailing company’s scale, but described the rider experience as inconsistent because customers cannot be sure whether a booked vehicle will be autonomous or human-driven.
Mawakana said Waymo had heard feedback from riders in Austin and Atlanta about the relationship. Uber told Bloomberg that Waymo had decided against adding a direct robotaxi-booking option to Uber’s app. Uber also works with other robotaxi and autonomous vehicle partners.
Sources: TechCrunch.