Waymo to End Uber Self-Driving Partnership, Go Solo from 2028

Waymo is planning to exit its autonomous ride-hailing partnership with Uber. Currently, Uber offers Waymo’s self-driving vehicles for passenger rides only in Austin and Atlanta, following the conclusion last month of a small-scale collaboration in Phoenix. An Uber spokesperson stated that Waymo has formally notified the company of its intention to independently operate its autonomous ride-hailing service in these two cities through its own app starting January 2028, though it will continue offering services on Uber’s platform for now. This move will end Waymo’s exclusive partnership status in Austin and Atlanta, and Uber said it is preparing to onboard other autonomous vehicle providers. Under the existing contract, Waymo’s autonomous fleet will remain on Uber’s platform through at least May 2028. A Waymo spokesperson expressed support for a diverse, collaborative autonomous ecosystem and emphasized the goal of offering passengers more choices. Following the announcement, Uber’s stock fell 4.3% on July 24 in New York trading, closing at $65.94—the lowest level in over a year—while Alphabet’s shares rose by approximately 1%. Uber has long aimed to integrate human-driven and autonomous services into a unified mobility platform. However, Waymo, as the leading autonomous operator in the U.S., has increasingly become a competitor to Uber in core markets through its own app. Since June 2023, Waymo has not added any new cities to its Uber-based service, instead continuously expanding its footprint exclusively via its own application. Although Uber has invested in other autonomous driving companies, none of them come close to matching Waymo’s scale.