Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi dismissed speculation about deteriorating relations between his company and Waymo during an earnings call today. Despite ending their Phoenix partnership earlier this year, Khosrowshahi characterized the two firms’ bond as robust and expressed confidence that their collaboration would continue in Atlanta and Austin through 2027.
The CEO’s reassurances come as observers have noted signs of strain between the ride-sharing giant and the autonomous vehicle pioneer. Uber’s Chief Technology Officer has publicly commented on concerning Waymo moments, and the companies recently found themselves on opposing sides of a Washington robotaxi regulation debate. Khosrowshahi avoided directly addressing these incidents during his statement.
To reduce dependence on any single autonomous vehicle provider, Uber is simultaneously cultivating partnerships with multiple emerging AV companies, including Zoox, Wayve, Avride, and others. The company has committed over $10 billion toward developing its robotaxi service. However, Khosrowshahi downplayed the immediate impact of driverless rides, noting they represent less than 0.5 percent of Uber’s total trip volume, suggesting the autonomous vehicle sector is maturing slower than expected.
Khosrowshahi indicated there remains ample opportunity for competitors to challenge Waymo’s current market leadership, allowing Uber time to establish viable alternative partnerships that could reshape the autonomous vehicle landscape.
Originally reported by Theverge →
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