Waymo and Uber Face a Robotaxi Split in Austin and Atlanta Waymo is preparing to offer robotaxi rides through its own app in Austin and Atlanta from January 2028, while its existing Uber deployment is expected to continue during the initial transition. Uber confirmed the planned parallel launch to TechCrunch after the Financial Times reported that Waymo was exploring an exit from the partnership in those markets. The announcement does not establish an immediate breakup or a final end date for Uber’s role. It confirms a shift from an Uber-only distribution model toward two customer-access channels, with the companies’ current contract for Austin and Atlanta reported to run until May 2028. That overlap could reshape how riders book autonomous trips and how Uber approaches partnerships with other autonomous-vehicle companies. What Waymo and Uber have confirmed so far The clearest confirmed point is Waymo’s plan to add a direct booking channel. Uber told TechCrunch that Waymo had notified it of plans to offer robotaxis on the Waymo app in Austin and Atlanta beginning in January 2028, alongside the existing offering on Uber. The report describes the wider partnership as under pressure, but it does not prove that every part of the commercial relationship will end in January. The distinction matters: a direct Waymo app can launch while Uber continues to provide access, dispatching, fleet services, or other functions under the existing arrangement. The original structure was announced in September 2024. In its official partnership announcement, Waymo said Uber would manage and dispatch a fleet of fully autonomous, all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in Austin and Atlanta, while Waymo would remain responsible for testing and operating the Waymo Driver. Uber’s contemporaneous release described the service as available only through the Uber app at launch and said Uber would provide fleet management, including cleaning,