Waymo is planning to end its exclusive robotaxi partnership with Uber in Austin and Atlanta and move riders to booking through the Waymo app. Multiple outlets report the change begins in January 2028, with Waymo allowing customers to hail its vehicles directly rather than relying on Uber as the primary gateway.
The coverage describes the decision as driven by rider feedback seeking a more consistent experience, where passengers are more likely to receive a Waymo vehicle through a single app. Bloomberg and several other outlets cite Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana characterizing the earlier arrangement as a “crapshoot,” reflecting that riders were not guaranteed to get a Waymo when using Uber.
Outlets also place the shift in context of Waymo’s evolving strategy as Alphabet’s autonomous-vehicle business scales. Some reporting highlights that Waymo has partnered with rideshare and fleet-related operators as it has expanded operations across U.S. cities, while TechCrunch emphasizes that Uber’s broader network of autonomous partners will create direct competition in the affected markets.
