Overview
- On Friday, Uber said Waymo notified it that the Waymo app will launch in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028 while existing contracts keep Waymo vehicles on Uber through at least May 2028.
- The notice effectively dissolves the exclusive deal that had made Uber the only way to hail Waymo robotaxis in those two cities since services launched in 2025, replacing it with a period of concurrent distribution.
- Investors reacted quickly: Uber shares fell more than 4% after the reports and the company said it can add other autonomous vehicle suppliers to its platform in those markets.
- Waymo already operates its robotaxi service directly in nine U.S. markets and has pursued non‑exclusive partnerships such as the Lyft deal in Nashville, showing a pattern of moving toward direct consumer access.
- The change underscores a broader industry shift as AV developers and ride‑hailing platforms balance direct apps, platform partnerships, and control of rider data and operations, which will affect how robotaxi service grows and how riders interact with it.