Uber and Waymo announced Tuesday that their joint autonomous ride service, already operating in Austin, has officially launched in the heart of Georgia. Initially, the service will cover around 65 square miles of Atlanta, with plans to expand over time.
This launch marks a big step forward for both companies. Uber, which has built relationships with 18 autonomous vehicle (AV) partners, says it’s now operating at an annual run rate of 1.5 million AV mobility and delivery trips. On the other hand, Waymo says it’s delivering 250,000 paid robotaxi rides every week across cities like Austin, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Adding Atlanta to that mix will likely boost those numbers significantly.
A Hybrid Ride Experience
Unlike Waymo’s other markets—where riders use the dedicated Waymo One app—this Atlanta rollout works entirely through the Uber app. The “Waymo on Uber” experience blends robotaxis and human-driven Ubers. Riders can even tweak their app preferences to increase their chances of being paired with a Waymo.
If you’re matched with a robotaxi, you’ll get a notification. Not ready to go driverless? No problem—you can switch to a traditional ride. But if you’re in, you’ll use the Uber app to unlock the car, pop the trunk, and start your autonomous journey.
For now, Waymo’s Atlanta fleet is described as being in the “dozens,” though that number will scale up, especially since the shared fleet between Atlanta and Austin is expected to reach the hundreds.
Robotaxis, But Familiar Prices
One thing that won’t change? The fare. A ride in a Waymo robotaxi in Atlanta will cost the same as an UberX, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric—all driven by humans. The goal: make this futuristic ride feel just like any other Uber experience, minus the driver.
Behind the scenes, the partnership is cleanly divided. Uber handles the charging, cleaning, and maintenance of the autonomous vehicles, and it also manages ride-hailing through the app. Meanwhile, Waymo focuses on what it does best—autonomous operations, from monitoring the technology to providing roadside assistance and certain aspects of rider support.
A Partnership That Keeps Growing
Back in September, Uber and Waymo teased this exact rollout, promising to bring robotaxi service to Austin and Atlanta in early 2025. By March, they had already made good on that promise in Austin, with over 100 Waymo robotaxis now cruising the streets there.
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