Uber CEO downplays rumors of a split with Waymo.

After Uber and Waymo parted ways in Phoenix earlier this year, many in the robotaxi scene speculated about the state of their partnership. However, Uber’s CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, reassured everyone that the collaboration remains robust, particularly in Atlanta and Austin.

“Waymo is a crucial partner for us, and we’re still active in Austin and Atlanta,” Khosrowshahi stated during an earnings call. “We expect to keep operating in those markets next year. It’s an excellent product, and our on-the-ground partnership is very strong.”

Despite Khosrowshahi’s optimism, signs suggest the relationship may not be as solid as he claims. For instance, Uber’s CTO recently tweeted about a “scary Waymo moment,” and an Uber white paper highlighted a preference for a hybrid model of human and robot-driven rides rather than relying solely on autonomous vehicles. Additionally, last month, the two companies found themselves at odds over a bill in Washington, DC, aimed at legalizing robotaxi services, with Waymo in favor and Uber advocating for a hybrid approach.

While Khosrowshahi didn’t address these issues directly, he did mention that Waymo isn’t Uber’s only partner in the robotaxi space. “We want to ensure we’re not reliant on a single partner,” he explained. “We’re seeing a surge of new players in the AV ecosystem, similar to what’s happening in the foundation model space. While we continue to provide excellent service with Waymo in Austin and Atlanta, we’re also expanding our services with other partners.”

Indeed, Uber has been actively engaging with a range of AV partners, including Zoox, Wayve, Avride, Nuro, Motional, and Waabi. If you’re a startup with some autonomous driving capabilities and vehicles on the road, it’s likely you’ve heard from Uber. The company has committed to investing over $10 billion to develop its robotaxi business in the long run.

However, Waymo stands out as the only player currently operating at scale. Given that Waymo has demonstrated its ability to function in markets independently of Uber, it appears that Uber may rely on Waymo more than the other way around.

While Khosrowshahi seems committed to the partnership, he also tempered expectations regarding the rapid adoption of robot-driven cars. He pointed out that robotaxi rides currently make up “less than 0.5 percent of our overall trip volume.” The pace of physical AI—referring to real-world applications like robots and driverless cars—lags behind that of large-language models like ChatGPT. In the future, a competitor to Waymo could emerge, challenging its current dominance.

“We have time to cultivate partnerships with our other collaborators to create a competitive landscape with appealing commercial opportunities,” Khosrowshahi added.

His cautious stance makes sense. While Uber and Waymo are partners in select markets, they primarily compete against each other. Early data indicates that Waymo is capturing market share from traditional rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. Although both companies may need each other now, as robotaxis are still in their early stages, the future remains uncertain.