Uber and Waymo to end exclusivity arrangement in Atlanta and Austin
UBER CEO Dara Khosrowshahi speaks on CNBC’s Squawk Box at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22, 2026.
Oscar Molina | CNBC
For the last three years, Uber And AlphabetWaymo has partnered to offer driverless rides to travelers in two major US markets. This relationship is now undergoing some changes.
Up to this point, Waymo has only made its robotaxi available in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, through the Uber app. But an Uber spokesperson told CNBC via email on Friday: “We have been informed by Waymo that they plan to launch the Waymo app in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028, in addition to their existing distribution with Uber.”
This development reflects how Waymo has been able to attract riders in a number of US cities without exclusive Uber deals; because the company’s robotaxis are now live in nine other markets. website. More cities are participating in various phases of testing.
Waymo also made a deal last year. Lyft Offering robotoaxi trips on a non-exclusive basis in Nashville, Tennessee.
Hundreds of Waymo robotaxis in Atlanta and Austin will remain available with Uber through at least May 2028, the expiration of their current contracts, Uber said. The upcoming changes allow the ride-hailing company to put other non-Waymo autonomous vehicles on its platform in both cities.
A Waymo spokesperson said in an email that users should “make choices about how they experience this technology.”
“This is critical to the future of the industry and our vision to make the Waymo app and the security of our technology available to drivers everywhere,” the spokesperson wrote.
Finance Times It reported Friday that Waymo is in internal discussions about whether to split from Uber amid tensions between the two companies, including conflicting policy proposals the companies are pursuing in different U.S. markets.
Uber shares fell more than 4% on the news.
Uber is investing in AV technology independently of Waymo and has committed to purchasing vehicles from some of its partners, including Waabi, Wayve and Nuro, as well as the electric vehicle maker. rivyaOnce self-driving cars are confirmed to be safe to operate without a human supervisor or driver on board.
Tesla, Amazon’s Zoox and other AV developers also offer standalone apps that allow drivers to hail robotaxi.
— CNBC’s Laura Batchelor contributed to this report.
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