Waymo's Co-CEO Calls the Uber App Experience a 'Crapshoot' for Robotaxi Riders

Tekedra Mawakana says ending Waymo's exclusive Uber arrangement in Austin and Atlanta responds to riders who had no way to guarantee they'd actually get a self-driving car instead of a human-driven one.

2-MIN READ

By Principle Post StaffPublished November 4, 2026

Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana smiling during an interview · Source: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

Waymo co-Chief Executive Officer Tekedra Mawakana says the company's decision to launch its own standalone app in Austin and Atlanta, ending its exclusive arrangement with Uber in those two cities, was a direct response to rider complaints about the unpredictability of booking a self-driving trip through Uber's platform. Mawakana described the current setup as a "crapshoot" for riders, who currently have no way to guarantee they will actually get matched with a Waymo vehicle rather than a human-driven car when they request a ride.

Riders couldn't choose the robotaxi on purpose

Under the existing arrangement, customers in Austin and Atlanta open the regular Uber app, request a ride, and are randomly assigned either an autonomous Waymo vehicle or a conventional Uber driver depending on what is available nearby. Riders who specifically want the self-driving experience have had no reliable way to request it, a design Uber built intentionally so new riders could discover Waymo without needing to download a separate app or make an active choice between the two.

Waymo intends to launch its own app in both cities starting in January 2028, running alongside its continued presence inside Uber rather than replacing it outright. The change would let riders who specifically want an autonomous vehicle book one directly, while Uber's app would continue to offer the blended pool of human and robotaxi drivers it has used since the partnership launched.

A sign of where the Uber-Waymo relationship is heading

The move follows months of reported tension between the two companies as Waymo has expanded its own ambitions beyond relying on Uber's demand and fleet-operations support. Uber has said it expects human drivers and autonomous vehicles to keep growing side by side for years as it builds out what it calls a hybrid ride-hailing network, even as Waymo pushes to give riders more direct control over which kind of vehicle shows up.