Waymo will stop offering rides through Uber in Austin and Atlanta starting in January 2028, co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana told Bloomberg News. The company plans to serve riders in those markets directly through its own app, as it does in other cities.
The change brings forward the end of a partnership that was scheduled to expire in May 2028. Mawakana’s comments also confirm earlier Financial Times reporting that Waymo was seeking to leave the deal.
Mawakana said Waymo initially partnered with Uber to benefit from the ride-hailing company’s scale. But she described the rider experience as unpredictable, noting that customers could not be sure whether a ride request would be matched with a robotaxi or a human-driven car. She said Waymo wanted a closer relationship with riders and had heard that feedback in Austin and Atlanta.
Uber told Bloomberg that Waymo had decided against adding an option in Uber’s app for customers to book a robotaxi directly. Uber has partnerships with multiple robotaxi and other autonomous-vehicle companies.
Sources: TechCrunch.