Uber and Waymo are preparing to launch a robotaxi service in Atlanta this summer, inviting local customers to join an interest list to be among the first to hail autonomous rides.
This expansion follows the successful introduction of their “Waymo on Uber” service in Austin, Texas, where robotaxi rides became available in March, several weeks after introducing a customer interest list. Atlanta customers joining the list will be kept informed and may have early access to rides once service commences in the coming months.
The partnership between Uber and Waymo enables each company to concentrate on their areas of strength. Uber takes responsibility for managing the fleet’s operations, including charging, maintenance, cleaning, and integrating ride requests directly through the Uber app. Waymo, on the other hand, oversees the autonomous vehicle technology, managing the technical operations and customer assistance aspects.
Initially, the Atlanta robotaxi service will cover a 65-square-mile section of the city, encompassing key areas such as Downtown, Buckhead, and Capitol View. Plans call for the gradual expansion of the operational zone, allowing broader access over time.
This collaboration marks a notable turnaround for two companies that once fiercely contested each other in court. In early 2018, Waymo, an Alphabet subsidiary, accused Uber of misappropriating trade secrets related to autonomous vehicle technology. The bitter legal dispute ended in a settlement that February, paving the way for the two companies to slowly rebuild their relationship.
After resolving the lawsuit, Waymo continued developing and refining its technology, ultimately launching commercial robotaxi services in select markets such as Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Uber’s journey toward commercial autonomous vehicle services was more complex. After selling its Advanced Technologies Group—the internal autonomous vehicle unit—in a widely publicized deal with Aurora in 2020, Uber shifted strategy, opting instead to forge multiple partnerships with autonomous vehicle providers worldwide. These deals now involve fourteen different autonomous driving companies, covering applications from ride-hailing and deliveries to trucking operations. Among recent entries, Uber launched a robotaxi service with autonomous specialist WeRide in Abu Dhabi last December, while Waymo vehicles joined Uber’s platform in Phoenix in October 2023.
Interested Uber customers in Atlanta can sign up for early robotaxi access within the Uber app. To join the interest list, users must update their app, go to “Account,” then “Settings,” and finally select “Ride Preferences,” where autonomous options will be available to choose.
The Atlanta launch this summer reinforces Uber and Waymo’s automated mobility ambitions, continuing their broad push toward mainstreaming driverless transportation.
