Uber and Waymo End Phoenix Robotaxi Partnership

Uber and Alphabet's self-driving subsidiary Waymo have ended their robotaxi partnership in Phoenix, Arizona, the companies confirmed this week. The split concludes a pilot program that began in 2023, marking the first market where the two companies tested their collaboration.

Under the original agreement, Uber had integrated Waymo's autonomous vehicles into its ride-hailing and food delivery platforms in Phoenix. A Waymo spokesperson stated that the vehicles used in the pilot have already been integrated back into Waymo's own Phoenix fleet, where they remain available for rides through the Waymo app and for deliveries via DoorDash. Uber described the Phoenix deployment as intentionally limited, involving just over a dozen dedicated vehicles. The company said it learned from the collaboration, which helped it scale operations in Austin and Atlanta, where hundreds of Waymo vehicles remain available exclusively on the Uber app.

The dissolution of the Phoenix partnership follows a recent voluntary recall by Waymo of nearly 3,900 robotaxis across the United States to address a software issue that could allow vehicles to enter closed freeway construction zones and continue driving....