Waymo will end its exclusive robotaxi partnership with Uber in Austin and Atlanta starting January 2028, letting riders in those two cities book Waymo vehicles directly through Waymo’s own app instead. Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana confirmed the plan to Bloomberg, according to TechCrunch‘s report on Wednesday.
What changes in January 2028
Riders in Austin and Atlanta currently book Waymo robotaxis only through the Uber app, with no guarantee of getting an autonomous vehicle instead of a human driver. From January 2028, they will also be able to book a Waymo ride directly through Waymo’s own app in both cities, the same option riders already have in markets where Waymo operates independently of Uber.
That dual-app setup is new for these two cities specifically. Since Waymo launched in Austin and Atlanta, Uber’s app has been the only way to request one of its robotaxis there, which meant every ride request went through Uber’s dispatch system rather than Waymo’s own. Once Waymo’s app goes live for bookings in January 2028, riders will be choosing between two separate apps to reach the same underlying fleet of vehicles.
Mawakana told Bloomberg that Waymo partnered with Uber initially for its scale, but said the rider experience through Uber has been inconsistent, since riders never know in advance whether they will get a robotaxi or a conventional ride. She said maintaining a direct relationship with riders matters, based on feedback gathered in those two markets.
What Uber says
Uber told TechCrunch it still intends to host Waymo robotaxis on its own app for as long as the two companies keep agreeing to the arrangement. Uber added that Waymo chose not to add a direct robotaxi booking option inside the Uber app itself, which would have let Uber riders request a Waymo vehicle without leaving Uber’s platform.
Under the existing agreement between the two companies, Waymo’s fleet stays listed on Uber’s platform in Austin and Atlanta through at least May 2028, regardless of the January 2028 change to exclusivity.
Why the exclusivity change matters
Ending exclusivity means Uber is free to bring in other autonomous vehicle operators to Austin and Atlanta alongside Waymo, rather than routing all robotaxi demand in those cities through Waymo alone. It also puts Waymo’s own app in direct competition with Uber’s app for the same riders in the same two cities, a dynamic that does not currently exist where Waymo depends on Uber’s platform for bookings.
Waymo has already ended a separate, more limited partnership with Uber in Phoenix earlier in 2026, and the two companies have increasingly found themselves on opposite sides of robotaxi policy debates even while remaining business partners in these two cities.
The Phoenix exit set a precedent for how Waymo unwinds these city-by-city arrangements: rather than a sudden cutoff, Waymo has moved toward operating its own app in a market while still allowing some continuity for the partner it is stepping back from. Austin and Atlanta appear to be following a similar pattern, with Uber remaining on the platform through at least May 2028 even as exclusivity ends months earlier.
Losing exclusivity in Austin and Atlanta means Uber is no longer bound to Waymo as the sole source of autonomous rides it can offer in those two cities, even though the current contract keeps Waymo’s own fleet listed on Uber’s app through at least May 2028.
Frequently asked questions
Will Waymo stop working with Uber entirely?
No. Uber says it plans to keep listing Waymo robotaxis on its app in Austin and Atlanta for as long as both companies agree, and the current contract runs at least through May 2028.
What changes for riders starting January 2028?
Riders in Austin and Atlanta gain the option to book a Waymo robotaxi directly through Waymo’s own app, instead of only through Uber’s app with no guarantee of getting an autonomous vehicle.
Does Waymo still appear on Uber’s app after January 2028?
Yes. Uber says it plans to keep Waymo’s robotaxis listed on its app, and the existing contract between the two companies keeps that arrangement in place through at least May 2028. The change in January 2028 is about exclusivity ending, not about Waymo leaving Uber’s app.
Why did Waymo decide to add its own app in these cities?
Mawakana told Bloomberg that the inconsistent rider experience through Uber, where a rider cannot be sure whether they will get an autonomous vehicle or a human-driven one, was a factor, along with the value of a direct relationship with riders based on feedback from those two markets.
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