Waymo plans to end its exclusive robotaxi-booking arrangement with Uber in Austin and Atlanta starting in January 2028, and intends to let riders book through its own app in those cities. Uber says it plans to keep hosting Waymo rides for as long as both companies agree. Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana told Bloomberg about the plan on November 4, 2026.
The planned change gives Austin and Atlanta riders a direct Waymo booking route, while Uber’s app may remain an option by agreement.
Why Waymo wants a direct booking option
Mawakana cited rider feedback about uncertainty in the Uber app: requesting a ride did not guarantee a Waymo, since a robotaxi had to be available nearby. Waymo’s own app is intended to give riders a direct booking route.
One Austin Reddit user said they had not ordered a Waymo because they could not select one specifically in Uber’s app. That is an individual rider’s account; Mawakana separately cited feedback from riders in the affected markets.
Uber may continue hosting Waymo rides
Uber said it plans to keep offering Waymo rides through its app while the companies agree. Whether that option continues after exclusivity ends depends on their agreement.
Uber has also made a broader case for its role in autonomous rides. NeoTeo previously covered its proposal to use robotaxis for steadier demand and human drivers during demand peaks, a separate plan from the Waymo booking change.
Uber’s utilization claims and fleet forecasts
In prepared remarks dated November 4, Uber said its U.S. autonomous-vehicle partners averaged about 30% more trips per vehicle per day than first-party deployments nationwide. Uber also argued that access to rider demand and shared charging, maintenance, and fleet operations could improve robotaxi economics.
Uber’s illustration assumes paid trips per vehicle rise 30% while fixed costs stay the same. Under those assumptions, fixed cost per trip falls by about 23%: 1 − (1 ÷ 1.30) ≈ 0.23. That calculation concerns fixed cost per trip, not total operating cost. Uber used it to explain why higher utilization could improve fleet economics. The comparison and example appear in Uber’s Q3 2026 prepared remarks.
The same remarks forecast about 700 fully driverless vehicles on Uber’s platform by the end of 2026 and more than 2,000 by the end of 2027. Uber said roughly half of the 2027 target would be in the United States and half internationally.
