How we know: Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana's interview with Bloomberg News, published Nov. 4, 2026, as summarized by Bloomberg and reported by TechCrunch the same day, with Uber's on-record responses to both outlets. No ride counts or contract terms were disclosed.
TransportationCase study
Waymo will start taking Austin and Atlanta riders on its own app in 2028. Its co-CEO called the Uber experience "a little bit of a crapshoot."
Riders in both cities can only reach Waymo through Uber, and they can't be sure they'll get a robotaxi. Uber says it will keep Waymo on its app as long as both companies agree.
Previously
In March 2025, Uber began matching Austin riders with Waymo cars across 37 square miles; in June 2025, Atlanta followed across 65. In both cities, riders who asked for certain Uber ride types "could be matched" with a Waymo, could switch to a human driver, and could set a preference to improve their odds. Neither company gave fleet sizes or deal terms.
Nov. 4, 2026 — Waymo says it will offer rides in Austin and Atlanta through its own app starting in January 2028. Here's what changed since Part 2 (June 2025), what it cost, and what went wrong.
Cost and outcome (as of Nov. 4, 2026)
- Today: Riders in Austin and Atlanta can hail a Waymo "exclusively through Uber's platform." (Bloomberg)
- Change: From January 2028, Waymo "intends to launch the service through its own app in those cities." (Bloomberg)
- Deal: The Uber agreement had been set to expire in May 2028, according to earlier Financial Times reporting cited by TechCrunch. (TechCrunch)
- Results: Ride counts, fleet sizes and revenue split: not disclosed.
What Waymo said
Mawakana told Bloomberg that Waymo first partnered with Uber for its scale. But riders found the experience "a little bit of a crapshoot," she said, because they never know whether they'll get a robotaxi or a human-driven car. "It's important for us to have that relationship with the rider. We've gotten that feedback from the riders in those markets." (TechCrunch)
Bloomberg framed the change as a response to riders asking for more consistency when ordering driverless rides. (Bloomberg)
What Uber said
Uber told TechCrunch it still plans to host Waymo robotaxis on its app for as long as the two companies agree. It told Bloomberg that it was Waymo's idea not to add an option to book a robotaxi directly in the Uber app. (TechCrunch)
Uber has many other robotaxi and autonomous-vehicle partners, so the change sets up direct competition in both cities, TechCrunch noted. (TechCrunch)
What's changed
The match-by-chance design described in Parts 1 and 2 is now the reason Waymo gives for leaving. The two companies disagree on who blocked the obvious fix: letting riders book a Waymo directly inside Uber.
What went wrong
- Riders couldn't choose. Waymo's co-CEO says the Uber setup left riders unsure whether they'd get a robotaxi.
- A disputed fix. Uber says Waymo chose not to add direct robotaxi booking to the Uber app. We haven't seen Waymo's response to that point.
- Still no numbers. More than 18 months after Austin launched, neither company has published Austin or Atlanta ride counts, fleet sizes or revenue terms.
- What we don't know yet: whether Waymo cars will stay on Uber's app after January 2028, what happens to Uber's role in fleet operations in both cities, and whether pricing will change.
Our follow-up question for Waymo
After January 2028, will Uber still clean, charge and maintain Waymo's Austin and Atlanta fleets, and will Waymo cars remain bookable in the Uber app?
Sources
- Bloomberg News, “Waymo Co-CEO Says Uber App Option Was 'Crapshoot' for Riders,” Nov. 4, 2026. bloomberg.com
- TechCrunch, “Waymo confirms it will start splitting with Uber in January 2028,” Nov. 4, 2026. techcrunch.com
© 2026 Real World Wire. Written November 4, 2026.