Waymo Riders in Austin, Atlanta Get Own App
Waymo's planned January 2028 app ends its Uber-only access in two cities and signals a push to control robotaxi demand directly.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Robotics
Waymo plans to launch its own robotaxi app in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028, ending its exclusive arrangement with Uber in those cities. The plan is an announced intention, not a shipped service, and riders there currently access Waymo only through Uber's platform.
Why it matters
The move signals Waymo is shifting from relying on ride-hailing networks toward controlling the customer relationship directly, as it competes with Tesla for robotaxi demand. Waymo has already run its own consumer app in San Francisco and other markets, so the Austin and Atlanta change extends a model it has begun to standardize.
Waymo reports roughly 4,000 vehicles on US roads and more than 500,000 trips per week across 14 cities, according to figures the company has shared. The source offers no independent verification of these numbers, and it does not compare them with earlier periods or with rival fleets. Waymo has also filed recalls with safety agencies over its software's driving behavior, and the source does not detail their scope.
The players
Waymo
Alphabet's autonomous driving unit, which operates a robotaxi fleet and has run its own consumer app in San Francisco.
Uber
Ride-hailing platform that currently offers Waymo robotaxi rides exclusively in Austin and Atlanta.
Tesla
Electric vehicle maker pursuing its own robotaxi service and likewise relying on its own app rather than ride-hailing networks.
The details
Riders in Austin and Atlanta can currently indicate a preference for an autonomous vehicle inside the Uber app, but they are matched only when one is nearby. Under the planned change, Waymo's own app would handle those requests directly, removing the uncertainty of a match. The source notes that Waymo's rides on average cost more than cabs or ride-hails, a factor the company's direct-app model will need to address.
Timeline
January 2028: Waymo's planned launch of its own app in Austin and Atlanta.
Waymo's current exclusive Uber partnership in Austin and Atlanta remains in place until the app launches.
The Tech Race
Waymo's direct-app model in San Francisco is the template for the planned Austin and Atlanta launch, which would move it toward controlling the customer relationship. Tesla is taking a parallel path with its own robotaxi app, so the two companies are racing to own demand rather than depend on ride-hailing partners.
Riders in Austin and Atlanta will not be able to book a Waymo through its own app until the planned January 2028 launch, so Uber remains the only route until then. Those riders should expect the direct app to replace the current matching-by-preference system, though the source does not say whether pricing will change.
The takeaway
Watch whether Waymo's January 2028 app launch in Austin and Atlanta happens on schedule and whether its prices move closer to cab and ride-hail levels. Both outcomes will show whether direct control of the customer relationship pays off for a company that has not yet reached profitability.
What happens next
Waymo's own app is slated to launch in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028, when the Uber exclusivity there ends.
Further reading
For broader context on the machines behind this shift, see our coverage of Robotics.
