The city of Atlanta’s streets are being taken over by a new kind of vehicle: self-driving cars. Uber announced on Thursday that it has officially rolled out self-driving ride-hailing cars in the city in partnership with Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet.
Starting June 24, 2025, Uber users will now have access to Waymo’s fleet of 100% autonomous I-PACEs in a 65 square mile area, covering popular neighborhoods such as Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead.
The novel manner in which driverless vehicle technology has been deployed in this city makes it the second U.S. city with Uber bringing in Waymo’s driverless tech following a successful rollout in Austin, Texas, in March.
Its foray into Atlanta is a significant step in the momentum the autonomous vehicle industry is gaining, it also represents a more strategic move for Uber which, while it dabbled in in-house development of self-driving cars, now appears to be more interested in integrating the transportation network upcoming investments.
In Atlanta, a Waymo robotaxi is now one of the options when someone hails an UberX, Uber Comfort or Uber Comfort Electric ride. The cost is expected to be comparable to the price of a regular Uber ride, but with the convenience and flexibility of no tipping.
Although the service is initially confined to the surface streets, the companies intend to ramp it up gradually across the metropolitan area, building the fleet from dozens to hundreds of vehicles.
In Atlanta, the public response has been a blend of excitement and wariness. Early adopters and those excited about the future of transport can’t wait to ride along without a driver.
Waymo emphasizes its rigorous testing process – tens of millions of autonomous miles driven – and claims a safety record that, in their data, makes Waymo cars cause fewer injuries than human-piloted vehicles. But some residents are skeptical driverless cars are prepared to handle Atlanta’s notorious traffic and colorful driving culture.
This partnership shows how Uber is now building its self-driving unit back up after selling off its own self-driving division in 2020. Utilizing Waymo’s self-driving system will help Uber accelerate its ability to bring an autonomous vehicle to market.
It’s another shot fired in a global race to roll out robotaxis, as Waymo claims the pole position in a fledgling market where competition from companies like Tesla and Amazon’s Zoox is just getting started. With Atlanta’s adoption of this new mode of transport, it is at the forefront of a movement that is revolutionizing urban mobility.