Uber users in Austin may notice a new option when opening the app to request a ride—an invitation to express interest in a Waymo robotaxi.
For now, this doesn’t mean a Waymo vehicle will pick them up immediately, but that will change soon.
Launched on Wednesday, this “interest list” is part of a partnership between Uber and Waymo to introduce a robotaxi service in Austin and Atlanta in early 2025. While the service is expected to begin in Austin soon, neither company has announced an official start date. Alongside this, a new co-branded robotaxi was also unveiled.
The “Waymo on Uber” service represents Uber’s renewed commitment to autonomous vehicles. Uber previously exited the self-driving car business by selling its autonomous vehicle unit, Uber ATG, to Aurora in December 2020. Ironically, before that, Uber and Waymo were fierce rivals, even facing off in lawsuits over alleged theft of trade secrets. Uber eventually settled the dispute.
In recent years, Uber has strengthened its position in the growing robotaxi industry, partnering with 14 autonomous vehicle companies in ride-hailing, delivery, and trucking, some of which are already operating commercially. In December, Uber launched robotaxi rides with WeRide in Abu Dhabi, and since October 2023, Waymo’s autonomous vehicles have been available on Uber’s platform in Phoenix.
However, in Austin and Atlanta, the partnership with Waymo will be more exclusive.
Only Uber users will be able to request rides in Waymo’s self-driving Jaguar I-PACE vehicles. While Waymo has operated its fleet in Phoenix, it is now transitioning that responsibility to Moove. Uber will oversee the charging, maintenance, and cleaning of the autonomous fleet, as well as managing customer access to robotaxis through its app. Meanwhile, Waymo will continue monitoring the self-driving technology and overseeing operations, including customer support.
Initially, Waymo’s robotaxis will serve an area covering 37 square miles in Austin, including downtown, Hyde Park, and Montopolis, with plans for expansion. The fleet will start small, though Uber has not disclosed an exact number, and is expected to grow to hundreds of vehicles across Austin and Atlanta over the next few years.
Uber has confirmed that riders matched with a Waymo robotaxi will pay the same fares as human-driven options like UberX or Uber Comfort.
Customers who join the “interest list” will receive updates from Uber and increase their chances of being matched with a Waymo autonomous vehicle at launch. To sign up, Uber users in Austin need to update the app, go to settings, select ride preferences, and choose the autonomous vehicle option.