Uber no longer offers Waymo rides in Phoenix
Uber and Waymo have ended their nearly three-year partnership in Phoenix, with Waymo continuing autonomous rides through its own app while Uber focuses on developing its own robotaxis.
Uber has ceased offering rides with Waymo's autonomous vehicles in Phoenix, one of the key US markets for driverless technology. According to TechCrunch, the two companies ended their nearly three-year relationship in the city in May.
Waymo will still provide rides using its autonomous fleet in Phoenix through its own app. The company has a long history in the city, having used its streets as a testing ground before launching public rides in 2020.
"After hundreds of thousands of trips with Uber, we have integrated these vehicles back into our Phoenix fleet, where they will continue to serve riders through Waymo, including our public transit integration with Via, and delivery with DoorDash," Waymo told TechCrunch.
The bigger shift appears to be on Uber's side, as the company has been building its own autonomous vehicle operations. Uber has worked with several brands, from Avride to WeRide, to offer robotaxi rides globally. Now, with Uber involved in manufacturing its own autonomous cars through a collaboration with Lucid and Neuro, the company may look to replace external partnerships with its own designs.
