Waymo ends partnership with Uber in Phoenix after three years

Waymo and Uber have officially parted ways in Phoenix, ending a nearly three-year experiment that let Uber riders hail autonomous Waymo vehicles through the Uber app. The option is now labeled “not yet available” on Uber’s platform.

The integration launched in October 2023, after being announced in May 2023. It let Phoenix-area riders request a driverless Waymo vehicle the same way they’d call a regular Uber. Both companies have confirmed the arrangement is over as of late June 2026.

From partners to rivals

When the deal was struck, Waymo had the self-driving technology and Uber had the massive rider network. Combining them in Phoenix, where Waymo’s operational area spanned over 180 square miles, seemed like a natural fit. Waymo has since expanded to secure a presence in 10 US markets by 2026, building out its own rider-facing app and brand in the process.

Uber, meanwhile, has been investing in its own autonomous capabilities through partnerships with firms like Lucid and Nuro.

A history that’s never been simple

Waymo and Uber settled a high-profile legal dispute in 2018 for approximately $244 million. The case centered on allegations that a former Waymo engineer took trade secrets to Uber’s self-driving unit.

What this means for investors

For anyone holding Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG/GOOGL) or Uber (NASDAQ: UBER) stock, this split is worth watching closely, even if the immediate financial impact is modest.

Waymo’s decision to pull away from Uber’s platform is a signal of confidence that its own app and brand can generate sufficient rider demand without piggybacking on Uber’s network. For Uber, losing Waymo’s robotaxis in Phoenix removes a differentiated offering from the platform. Uber’s partnerships with Lucid and Nuro suggest the company is building a diversified autonomous vehicle strategy rather than relying on any single provider. Uber’s previous attempt at building its own self-driving unit ended in a sale to Aurora in 2020.

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