Robotaxi wars will end in Uber-Waymo union
UBER•Uber and Waymo are expanding their robotaxi efforts as their partnership frays, while a potential acquisition of Uber by Alphabet is presented as a possible path to joining their strengths. Uber plans more than 2,000 driverless vehicles on its platform by the end of 2027 and tens of thousands by 2028.
1. Partnership strains as rivals scale
Uber and Waymo are expanding in the U.S. autonomous-vehicle market, but their partnership has grown uneasy. Waymo ended its exclusivity agreement with Uber in Austin and Atlanta, and the companies’ Phoenix pilot has been wound down. Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana called the arrangement “a bit of a crapshoot” for riders who could not know whether a Waymo would arrive.
2. Competing strengths and costs
Uber has roughly three-quarters of the U.S. ride-sharing market, while Bernstein estimates Waymo operates more than 4,000 robotaxis, about 77% of the country’s autonomous vehicles. Uber said it expects about 700 driverless vehicles on its platform by the end of 2026, more than 2,000 by the end of 2027 and tens of thousands by 2028. The article cites regulation, insurance costs, safety and costly idle miles as obstacles to wider adoption.
3. A possible combination
Waymo was valued at $126 billion in a February funding round, while Uber has agreements or investments with about 30 autonomous-vehicle firms. The article argues that an acquisition of Uber by Alphabet could give Waymo an established customer base and ride-sharing operation, while helping Uber prepare for a driverless future; it reports no deal talks or agreement.
