Uber Expands Autonomous Ride-Hailing with Waymo in Atlanta

Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) has expanded its autonomous ride-hailing service to Atlanta, partnering with Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Waymo. Following its March launch in Austin, Texas, the program now operates across 65 square miles in Atlanta, offering self-driving rides via the Uber app.

The autonomous vehicles in service are Waymo's all-electric Jaguar I-PACE models. Uber will manage dispatch, and the fleet—currently launching with dozens—will eventually grow to hundreds. Riders using Waymo vehicles through Uber will pay standard UberX, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric fares, without tipping prompts.

This move underscores the intensifying race in the robotaxi sector. Waymo, which already runs 100 autonomous vehicles on Uber’s platform in Austin, continues to expand its footprint. It operates over 1,500 self-driving cars and completes more than 250,000 weekly rides in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. While Waymo runs fully autonomous highway tests in California and Arizona for employees, Atlanta’s operations are limited to surface streets.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) also entered the fray, launching a limited autonomous taxi trial in Austin. Meanwhile, Waymo plans to resume autonomous testing in New York City next month and has applied for a permit to operate in Manhattan with trained specialists on board. A Washington, D.C. launch is also targeted for next year.

Uber previously exited self-driving tech development, selling its autonomous unit in 2020 after a fatal 2018 crash involving one of its test vehicles. The backup driver in that incident pleaded guilty in 2023 and received probation.

As competition accelerates, Uber and Waymo’s collaboration signals growing public adoption and commercial viability for autonomous ride-hailing in U.S. cities.