Uber waymo partnership ending is not the immediate outcome for riders in Austin and Atlanta, according to Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. On the company’s August 5 earnings call, Khosrowshahi said the companies’ relationship remained strong and that Uber expects to keep operating with Waymo in both cities next year.
The statement was Uber’s public response to reports that Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous-driving unit, is considering a departure from the arrangement. The reporting points to a later change, not a current shutdown: TechCrunch reported July 24 that Waymo had told Uber it planned to offer rides through its own app in Austin and Atlanta starting in January 2028, alongside the existing Uber service. Uber said its current contract for those cities runs through May 2028.
Waymo did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment. That leaves the reported long-term plan unconfirmed by Waymo, and it does not establish that Uber access to Waymo vehicles will end in either city now.
Are Uber and Waymo ending their partnership?
Uber and Waymo have already ended their Phoenix partnership, according to The Verge and TechCrunch. But Uber says the Austin and Atlanta arrangement is still operating. Khosrowshahi told analysts he expected that to continue into 2027.
A robotaxi is a vehicle designed to provide rides without a human driver behind the wheel. In Austin and Atlanta, Waymo’s cars are available through Uber’s ride-hailing network under the companies’ existing arrangement. A Waymo-owned booking app could give riders another way to request the same kind of service, but the reported January 2028 timing suggests that any overlap would precede the May 2028 contract end date.
Khosrowshahi also made clear that Uber is treating Waymo as one supplier in a broader autonomous-vehicle strategy. He said Uber does not want to rely on a single partner and would keep developing services with other autonomous-driving companies. The Verge reported that Uber has announced partnerships with Zoox, Wayve, Avride, Nuro, Motional and Waabi.
Uber has put a sizable budget behind that hedging strategy. Reuters reported that Uber plans to spend more than $10 billion on robotaxis over the coming years. Uber said the money would largely go toward equity investments in autonomous-driving partners, as well as balance-sheet support for fleet operations and vehicle commitments.
For now, robotaxis remain a small part of Uber’s core business. Khosrowshahi said such rides account for less than 0.5% of Uber’s overall trip volume, according to The Verge. The companies are still partners in two markets, while Uber is building alternatives and Waymo is reportedly preparing for a more independent presence in 2028.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.
