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Waymo reportedly plans exit from Uber deal
Waymo reportedly plans to launch its own app in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028 as tensions with Uber grow.
Image: TechCrunch
Waymo is reportedly seeking a way to end its robotaxi arrangement with Uber, according to the Financial Times. The deal currently makes Alphabet-owned Waymo vehicles available through Uber’s network in Austin and Atlanta.
Image credit: Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times / Getty Images
Uber told TechCrunch on Friday that Waymo has said it plans to offer robotaxis through its own app in those markets beginning in January 2028, while continuing alongside Uber’s existing offering. Uber also said the contract covering Austin and Atlanta ends in May 2028.
The companies already separated in Phoenix earlier this year, a split first reported by TechCrunch. Waymo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tensions between Waymo and Uber
The reported move follows months of friction. Earlier this year, Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli posted a video showing what he described as unsafe and “scary” behavior by a Waymo robotaxi. In May, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi criticized Waymo robotaxis' behavior around school zones and emergency situations during an earnings call, without naming the company.
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Waymo and Uber have also found themselves on opposing sides of several recent policy disputes involving robotaxi regulations.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via TechCrunch
