Waymo reportedly mulling a breakup with Uber

Waymo is reportedly looking for a way out of its deal with Uber, according to the Financial Times. The deal has made Alphabet-owned Waymo’s robotaxis available on Uber’s network in Austin and Atlanta. Waymo already told Uber that it intends to offer robotaxis on its own app in those markets starting in January 2028, alongside the existing offering, the ride-hail giant told TechCrunch on Friday. Uber said the contract covering Austin and Atlanta ends in May 2028.

The two companies already split in Phoenix earlier this year, as TechCrunch first reported. Waymo didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Rising Tensions

This all follows months of rising tensions between Waymo and Uber. Earlier this year, Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli posted a video of what he thought was unsafe and “scary” behavior of a Waymo robotaxi. In May, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi lightly criticized the behavior of Waymo’s robotaxis in school zones and emergency situations during an earnings call, though without naming the company.

Regulatory Battles

Waymo, meanwhile, has wound up opposite Uber in a number of fresh policy fights over robotaxi regulations.