Waymo Considering Exiting Partnership with Uber
Alphabet-owned autonomous driving company Waymo is reportedly exploring an exit from its partnership with ride-hailing giant Uber, according to the Financial Times. The collaboration has enabled Waymo’s robotaxis to be available on Uber's platform in Austin and Atlanta since earlier this year. However, Waymo plans to launch a standalone app for its robotaxi service in those markets starting January 2028, alongside continuing with Uber until May 2028 as per the current contract. The potential breakup follows growing tensions between the two companies over safety concerns and policy disagreements regarding robotaxi regulations. Earlier this year, Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli criticized a Waymo vehicle’s behavior in a video he posted online, calling it unsafe. In May, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi also expressed mild criticism of autonomous vehicles’ performance in school zones during an earnings call. Waymo has not yet commented on the reported breakup but is already positioning itself to operate independently from Uber as part of its broader strategy for robotaxi expansion.
Topics: robotaxis self-driving cars Transportation Uber Waymo