Uber and Waymo to end exclusivity in Atlanta and Austin by early 2028

Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, speaking on CNBC's Squawk Box at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 22, 2026. Oscar Molina | CNBC

For the past three years, Uber and Alphabet-owned Waymo have partnered to bring driverless rides to passengers in two major U.S. markets. That relationship is now undergoing significant changes.

Key Developments

• Uber and Waymo will end their exclusivity arrangement in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, in early 2028.
• The change reflects Waymo's growing traction in the robotaxi market across multiple U.S. cities.

Details of the Shift

To this point, Waymo has made its robotaxis available in Atlanta and Austin exclusively through the Uber app. However, an Uber spokesperson told CNBC by email on Friday that:

"We have been notified by Waymo that they intend to launch the Waymo app in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028, alongside their existing deployment with Uber."

This development underscores how Waymo has been able to attract riders in a number of U.S. cities without exclusive Uber deals. According to the company's website, its robotaxis are now live in nine other markets, with more cities engaged in various stages of testing.

Broader Industry Context

• Last year, Waymo struck a deal with Lyft to offer robotaxi rides in Nashville, Tennessee, on a non-exclusive basis.
• In Atlanta and Austin, hundreds of Waymo robotaxis will remain available on Uber through at least May 2028, the duration of their existing contract, Uber said.
• The changes ahead allow Uber to put other, non-Waymo autonomous vehicles onto its platform in both cities.

Waymo's Perspective

A Waymo spokesperson said in an email that users need "choice in how they experience this technology."

"This is essential to the industry's future and to our vision of making the Waymo app and the safety of our technology available to riders everywhere," the spokesperson wrote.

Reported Tensions

The Financial Times reported on Friday that Waymo held internal discussions about whether it should split from Uber due to tensions between the two companies, including around conflicting policy proposals they are pursuing in different U.S. markets.

Market Reaction

Uber shares dropped more than 4% on the news.

Uber's Autonomous Vehicle Strategy

Independent of Waymo, Uber has been investing in autonomous vehicle technology and has committed to buying vehicles from several partners, including:

• Startups Waabi, Wayve, and Nuro
• Electric vehicle maker Rivian

These purchases are contingent on the vehicles being validated as safe to operate without a human supervisor or driver on board.

Competitive Landscape

Tesla, Amazon's Zoox, and other autonomous vehicle developers are also offering standalone apps that allow riders to hail robotaxis.

— CNBC's Laura Batchelor contributed to this report.

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