Self-Driving Uber: Robotaxi Expansion, Waymo Rivalry & Fleet Plans

Uber's robotaxi ambitions are no longer a side experiment. During the company's Q2 2026 earnings call, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi laid out a plan to operate autonomous ride-hailing in 28 cities globally by 2028. That's a dramatic escalation from the four U.S. cities where Uber currently offers robotaxi rides. And the next two additions—Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area—are arriving before the end of this year.

The Bay Area launch leans on a three-way partnership: Uber, electric vehicle maker Lucid, and autonomous driving developer Nuro. The trio began testing a six-passenger vehicle in December, and the California Public Utilities Commission issued a permit on May 8 allowing Nuro to test with passengers and a safety driver. Khosrowshahi confirmed Uber will start robotaxi rides in Los Angeles later this year as well.

This expansion is part of a broader strategy that positions Uber as a multi-partner aggregator rather than a single-platform bet. The company already works with Motional in Las Vegas, Waymo in Atlanta and Austin, and Avride in Dallas. Zoox robotaxis are planned for Las Vegas this year. But the most telling shift is in how Uber is building its own autonomous muscle—and how its relationship with Waymo is souring.

Self-Driving Uber: Expansion and Partnerships

Waymo robotaxis have been available through the Uber app in Atlanta and Austin since 2025. That partnership, however, is expected to end in 2028, according to multiple media reports. The two companies already dissolved their three-year partnership in Phoenix in May, as reported by the Financial Times. The pattern is clear: Waymo is moving from being Uber's supplier of autonomy to its direct competitor.

Uber isn't waiting around. The company announced Uber AV Labs, a new division focused on developing rideshare-specific algorithms that it will share with its AV partners. That's a signal that Uber wants to own the intelligence layer of the ride-hailing experience, not just the dispatch network.

The hardware side is equally aggressive. Uber plans to source up to 20,000 Lucid electric vehicles outfitted with self-driving technology. It has also ordered 10,000 Rivian robotaxis, with an option for 40,000 more, to be deployed beginning in 2028. Those are serious numbers—enough to build a substantial autonomous fleet without relying on any single partner.

Why Uber Is Pivoting

Arthur D. Little Partner Frank McCleary put it bluntly: Uber recognizes the challenge that Waymo and autonomous vehicles present and is "trying to protect their business." Waymo is the leader in robotaxi operations, and while Uber operates in far more cities, the threat is real. "If they didn't see long-term that [Waymo] could affect their revenue," McCleary said, Uber wouldn't be making these investments.

That defensive posture makes sense. Autonomous vehicles threaten the core economics of ride-hailing—the driver. If Waymo can offer reliable, driverless rides at scale, it could undercut Uber's cost structure and take market share in the most lucrative urban corridors. Uber's answer is to build its own autonomous capacity while still hedging across multiple AV developers.

But building out AV fleets comes with a high capital cost, as McCleary noted. The Lucid and Rivian orders represent billions in commitments, and the technology is still being proven. Uber is betting that the long-term payoff justifies the near-term spending.

City Hall and the Motorcade Problem

Expansion isn't just a technical challenge—it's a political one. Khosrowshahi said Uber communicates with governors, mayors, council members and others who may have concerns about job loss, safety and congestion. Those are the same concerns that have slowed robotaxi deployments in other cities.

Washington, D.C., offers a unique example. Waymo is awaiting a permit to operate there, but Khosrowshahi highlighted the special circumstances: "We can't have AVs blocking the streets of D.C. when there's a presidential or vice presidential motorcade going through." He added, "These are real issues."

That kind of coordination is essential as robotaxis move from pilot programs to mainstream services. Cities are still figuring out how to regulate autonomous vehicles, and the companies that engage early with local officials will have an advantage.

The Road Ahead

Uber's robotaxi push is a defining moment for the ride-hailing industry. The company is no longer just a platform connecting riders to human drivers—it's becoming a fleet operator, a technology developer, and a political negotiator all at once. The competition with Waymo is intensifying, and the next few years will determine who controls the future of urban mobility.

For riders, the immediate takeaway is more choice. Los Angeles and the Bay Area will soon have Uber robotaxis on the streets, joining the four cities where they already operate. For investors, the question is whether Uber's heavy spending on Lucid and Rivian vehicles will pay off before Waymo's lead becomes insurmountable.

One thing is certain: the robotaxi race is no longer a distant possibility. It's happening now, and Uber is all in.