Waymo robotaxis available in Austin exclusively through Uber

After once being rivals, Uber and Waymo first partnered in late 2023. | Source: Uber

Waymo robotaxis are now available in Austin exclusively through Uber. Waymo said riders who request an UberX, Uber Green, Comfort, or Comfort Electric could be matched with a Waymo fully autonomous all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicle.

Uber riders will be able to opt for a human-driven vehicle if they prefer. Both services will be priced the same, the companies said.

Previously, Waymo offered rides in Austin only to its employees. Waymo riders can currently travel across 37 square miles of Austin – from Hyde Park, to Downtown, to Montopolis – with plans to expand in the future.

Unlike Waymo’s deployments in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix, Waymo robotaxis in Austin are available exclusively through the Uber app. According to Uber, a similar deal is in the works for Atlanta next.

Once the Waymo arrives, riders can unlock the vehicle, open the trunk, and start the trip – all from the Uber app. If assistance is needed at any time, Waymo said riders will have access to 24/7 customer support, accessible in both the Uber app and inside the Waymo vehicle.

Uber, Waymo go from rivals to partners

While Uber and Waymo have been working together since 2023, things haven’t always been smooth sailing between the two companies. Back when Uber was still developing its own AVs under its Uber ATG unit, the companies were involved in a lawsuit.

In 2016, Uber acquired autonomous trucking startup Otto for $680 million. The company later fired Otto co-founder Anthony Levandowski, who helped build Google’s first self-driving car, in 2017 after Waymo sued Uber for stealing trade secrets. The two companies settled the lawsuit in February 2018 for $250 million in equity. Two years after acquiring Otto, the company in July 2018 shut down the project in an attempt to salvage its self-driving car efforts.

In March 2018, an Uber self-driving car struck and killed a woman in Tempe, Arizona. This ultimately led to Uber selling its ATG unit to Aurora.

Waymo sets its sights on Atlanta, Miami

Waymo’s next deployment city will be Atlanta. In January, the company announced its giving fully autonomous rides to its employees in the city. This is the first step towards a public deployment company has planned for later this year with the help of Uber.

Waymo is a clear leader in the robotaxi industry. Currently, it provides over 200,000 trips per week across Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Austin. The company is also planning to begin testing its robotaxi service in Miami in 2025.

Last year, the self-driving unit of Google’s parent Alphabet launched its first service in Los Angeles and expanded services in San Francisco and Phoenix. It also released its sixth-generation robotaxi.

And that isn’t all. In addition to the deployments and new vehicle, Waymo closed a $5.6 billion funding round. The round was led by Alphabet and included participation from other big investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Fidelity, Perry Creek, Silver Lake, Tiger Global, and T. Rowe Price.

While the company’s long-time rival, Cruise, is no longer in operation, Waymo still faces competition from robotaxi companies like Zoox and Nuro, which are earlier in their deployment journeys. In 2024, Nuro expanded its capabilities using zero-occupant vehicles with the Nuro Driver system, while Zoox grew its operations in California and Nevada. During CES 2025, Mike Oitzman, senior editor at The Robot Report, took a ride in a Zoox robotaxi.