Waymo intends to launch own-app robotaxi bookings in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028

Waymo sets a date to go it alone

Waymo said it intends to launch bookings through its own app in Austin and Atlanta, the two cities where riders currently can hail its robotaxis only through Uber. Under the current setup, a rider in either city who wants a Waymo vehicle books through Uber's app. The Alphabet unit already offers rides through its own app in other cities, TechCrunch reported. The change would step up rivalry between the two companies, Bloomberg reported.

Mawakana told Bloomberg in a report published Wednesday that customer feedback drove the plan. Riders wanted more consistency when ordering self-driving services, she said. The experience had been "a little bit of a crapshoot" because riders never know for sure whether they will hail a robotaxi or a human-driven car, she said. Waymo initially partnered with Uber because the ride-hail company offered scale, Mawakana told Bloomberg.

"It's important for us to have that relationship with the rider," Mawakana said. "We've gotten that feedback from the riders in those markets."

Uber says it will keep hosting Waymo

Uber told TechCrunch on Wednesday it still plans to host Waymo robotaxis on its app for as long as the two companies agree. Uber, which has many robotaxi and other autonomous vehicle partners, also told Bloomberg that leaving out a direct robotaxi booking option in Uber's app was Waymo's idea. Waymo did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TechCrunch.

Uber has committed about $10 billion in capital to bring more driverless vehicles onto its platform, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told CNBC. That includes partnerships and investments in Rivian, Nuro, AVRide and other companies developing robotaxis and driverless trucks. Uber plans to have more than 2,000 automated vehicles available on its platform by the end of 2027, half in the US and half internationally. It expects around 700 by the end of this year and will add Amazon's Zoox and Motional robotaxis in Las Vegas this quarter.

What happens next

The Financial Times reported earlier this year that Waymo was looking to get out of the arrangement, which was set to expire in May 2028. The split would not remove Waymo cars from Uber's app, because Uber says it will keep hosting them as long as both companies agree. For riders in Austin and Atlanta, the change means a direct booking option alongside Uber. For Uber, Waymo remains one robotaxi partner among many, including Rivian, Nuro, AVRide, Zoox and Motional. For Waymo, the direct app gives it a customer relationship in two more cities, which Mawakana said was important.