Waymo robotaxis are no longer available through Uber’s ride-hailing app in Phoenix, Arizona, ending a partnership that lasted nearly three years.
Both companies confirmed the change on Monday. Uber said the Phoenix deployment ended when the contract expired, while Waymo said the vehicles have already returned to its own fleet. The company said the transition took place in May.
Passengers recently noticed that Waymo vehicles had disappeared from Uber’s app in Phoenix. The service remains available through Uber in Austin and Atlanta.
What changes in Phoenix
Under the updated arrangement:
- Waymo robotaxis in Phoenix can now be booked through the Waymo app.
- The vehicles previously assigned to Uber have been added back to Waymo’s local fleet.
- Uber is preparing to launch another autonomous vehicle partnership in Phoenix but has not identified the new partner.
Waymo said the returned vehicles will continue serving riders through its own app, including its public transit integration with Via and delivery partnership with DoorDash.
“This was a productive pilot that paved the way for future expansions and partnerships across the globe. After hundreds of thousands of trips with Uber, we have integrated these vehicles back into our Phoenix fleet,” the company told TechCrunch.
Uber also described the collaboration as successful.
“Phoenix was our first pilot market with Waymo and was an intentionally limited deployment, reaching just over a dozen vehicles dedicated to the program,” Uber said, adding that lessons from the project helped it expand Waymo services in Austin and Atlanta, where hundreds of autonomous vehicles now operate exclusively through Uber.
Partnership ends as both companies expand
The Phoenix pilot was the only market where Waymo operated both directly and through Uber.
Its conclusion comes as Waymo begins putting its latest robotaxi, the Zeekr-built Ojai van, on public roads.
The companies are also preparing to compete more directly in some markets. TechCrunch reported that Waymo and Uber could face each other in London as early as this year.
Robotaxi market has changed
The partnership began in 2023, when the commercial robotaxi market was still in its early stages.
At the time:
- Uber and Waymo had only recently moved past their legal dispute, which ended in a 2018 settlement.
- No robotaxi operator had achieved large-scale deployment.
- Cruise was still considered a major competitor before its later setbacks and absorption into General Motors.
Since then, Waymo has expanded its fleet to about 4,000 vehicles. The company now operates in 11 major U.S. metro areas, offers more than 500,000 trips each week, and is working to launch service in about 20 new cities this year.
Uber, meanwhile, has signed agreements with dozens of autonomous vehicle companies to expand its network.
TL;DR: Waymo and Uber have ended their robotaxi partnership in Phoenix after nearly three years. Waymo has moved the vehicles back to its own fleet, while Uber prepares to launch a new autonomous vehicle partnership in the city.
AI summary:
- Waymo robotaxis are no longer available on Uber in Phoenix.
- The partnership ended when the contract expired, and the transition took place in May.
- Waymo has returned the vehicles to its own Phoenix fleet.
- Uber is preparing a new autonomous vehicle partnership in Phoenix.
- Both companies continue working together in Austin and Atlanta.
