Waymo expands robotaxis fleet to Atlanta

Waymo’s robotaxis will begin operating in Atlanta in partnership with Uber.

Starting June 24, Waymo’s robotaxis will begin operating in Atlanta in partnership with Uber. This initiative, which debuted earlier this year in Austin, Texas, is part of a strategic collaboration between the two companies and has already been approved for implementation in Georgia’s capital.

In less than four months since the start of their partnership, Waymo and Uber have deployed nearly 100 fully autonomous vehicles in Austin. The expansion to Atlanta reaffirms both companies’ commitment to the roadmap they set out last September.

Waymo’s robotaxis arrive in Atlanta

In Atlanta, the system will function similarly to the one in Austin: robotaxis can be requested through the Uber app, with an option to choose a human-driven vehicle if the passenger prefers. Initially, the service will cover a 65-square-mile area within the Atlanta metropolitan market, with plans for further expansion, according to Transport Topics.

The Waymo app is already available in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and a growing portion of the San Francisco Bay Area. Thanks to its partnership with Uber, Waymo currently provides over 250,000 paid rides per week.

Alphabet’s decision to launch in Atlanta comes just days after Tesla rolled out a limited robotaxi service in Austin. However, unlike Waymo, Tesla still requires a safety driver on board to intervene if necessary. Waymo’s vehicles, on the other hand, operate in fully autonomous mode.

Robotaxi competition is heating up

Waymo is not the only company aiming to dominate this market. On one hand, Elon Musk has reiterated that Tesla’s robotaxi service could scale rapidly, while Amazon plans to launch its autonomous Zoox taxis in Las Vegas by the end of this year, with expansion to San Francisco expected in 2026.

Uber had also aimed to develop its own robotaxis. However, the company ultimately chose to pursue strategic partnerships to remain competitive in the autonomous transport sector. Currently, Uber maintains 18 partnerships with robotaxi operators worldwide and estimates it is on track to complete around 1.5 million autonomous rides annually—either for passenger transport or food delivery.

In April, the administration of President Donald Trump unveiled its first policy measures aimed at removing regulatory barriers for autonomous vehicles, as part of an effort to foster innovation in the sector and strengthen U.S. competitiveness against countries like China. These developments have encouraged companies to stay in the market and continue expanding their reach across the United States.