Uber Waymo end partnership in Chicago over safety

Uber’s partnership with Waymo in Phoenix, Arizona, has ended, ending the limited deployment of autonomous vehicles that were once available through the Uber app.

Partnership timeline and termination

In 2023, Uber and Waymo announced a multi‑year “strategic partnership” that would add several self‑driving cars to Uber’s fleet for ride‑hailing and delivery services in Phoenix. The announcement highlighted Uber’s excitement to bring “Waymo’s incredible technology to the Uber platform.”

A spokesperson for Uber said the deployment was “intentionally limited” from the start, and the contract has now concluded. The pilot phase is over, and the vehicles are no longer accessible via the Uber app in Phoenix.

The company has taken the small fleet back into its own service, making the cars available through the Waymo app instead. It noted the pilot “paved the way for future expansions and partnerships across the globe” and logged “hundreds of thousands of trips” during its run with Uber.

Continued collaborations elsewhere

The split in Phoenix does not signal a complete breakup. Waymo’s autonomous cars remain available for hailing through Uber in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia. Both firms continue to cooperate in those markets, indicating that the relationship is still functional where it makes sense.

Waymo is also expanding its presence on other platforms, such as DoorDash and the public‑transit operator Via, while Uber maintains a broader footprint, operating in more than 15,000 cities worldwide.

Industry analysts note that the robotaxi market is heating up. Goldman Sachs projects the global market could reach $415 billion by 2035, with $48 billion coming from the United States. Morgan Stanley’s estimate, cited by the South China Morning Post, puts the worldwide market at $1 trillion by 2040.

What the change means for Phoenix riders

For residents of Phoenix, the shift means that autonomous rides will now be booked directly through Waymo’s own platform rather than Uber’s. This could streamline the user experience for those who prefer a single‑app solution, but it may also limit options for riders who rely on Uber’s broader service suite.

In practice, the transition may affect pricing, availability, and integration with other services like food delivery. If Uber is indeed pursuing a new vehicle partnership in the city, as reported by reporters, riders could see a fresh set of autonomous options later, though no details have been released yet.

Regulatory and safety context

The timing of the Phoenix termination coincides with a recall of 3,900 Waymo vehicles for brake‑system safety concerns across the United States. While the company has not linked the recall to the Phoenix pilot, the issue highlights the broader challenges facing autonomous‑vehicle operators.

Waymo’s expansion plans have also hit a legal hurdle in Boston, Massachusetts, where regulators could slow its rollout in that market. Uber’s extensive geographic reach, however, keeps it firmly positioned in the competitive field.

Both companies remain key players in the evolving robotaxi sector, and the Phoenix episode illustrates how partnerships can be both temporary and strategic, shaping the future of autonomous mobility in the United States.