Uber Ends Three-Year Phoenix Robotaxi Pilot, Seeks New AV Partner
UBER•Uber ended its three-year Phoenix robotaxi pilot after deploying just over a dozen vehicles and returned them to Waymo’s 4,000-unit autonomous fleet. The company plans to appoint a new Phoenix partner, leveraging insights from the pilot that accelerated its rollout of hundreds of Waymo vehicles in Austin and Atlanta.
1. Phoenix Pilot Conclusion
Uber and Waymo concluded their nearly three-year robotaxi pilot in Phoenix, wrapping operations with just over a dozen dedicated vehicles. The termination follows the program’s contracted end date and represents the inaugural collaboration between ride-hailing and autonomous driving services.
2. Vehicle Redeployment
Waymo reintegrated the pilot cars into its broader 4,000-unit fleet, deploying them via its consumer app, a delivery arrangement with DoorDash and a transit partnership with Via Transportation. Uber’s limited-scope experiment focused on charging and maintenance logistics.
3. Strategic Expansion
Experience from Phoenix accelerated Uber’s ability to integrate hundreds of Waymo vehicles into its Austin and Atlanta networks, where autonomous rides now align with standard UberX and Comfort fares. The collaboration assigns Waymo responsibility for self-driving technology, oversight and passenger support.
4. Future Plans in Phoenix
Uber intends to announce a new autonomous vehicle partner to replace Waymo in Phoenix, leveraging insights from the pilot to refine deployment and operational logistics. This next partnership aims to restore robotaxi access and build on lessons from the initial pilot.
