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Uber says it wants to put 2,000 robotaxis into service across about 20 cities worldwide by the end of 2027, with 700 expected by the end of this year. The target is smaller than Waymo’s reported fleet of about 4,000 vehicles, and the companies are reportedly discussing the future of their partnership.
Uber says it plans to spend $10 billion to build a global fleet of 2,000 robotaxis by the end of 2027, a target that would leave it well behind Waymo’s reported fleet of about 4,000 vehicles. The plan, described by Uber executives on the company’s earnings call Tuesday, puts the ride-hailing company’s autonomous-vehicle ambitions into a measurable timetable as it seeks to expand beyond partnerships.
Uber’s interim milestone is 700 robotaxis in service by the end of this year. The company expects roughly half of its 2027 target to serve the United States, with the rest divided among Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The fleet is intended to operate in about 20 cities worldwide. The source report does not specify which cities beyond current partnership markets.
Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi described the company’s focus as moving toward commercial operations. “Our focus on autonomous is now on commercial execution,” he said, according to The Times. He said the next phase would be about demonstrating Uber’s advantage as a platform for operating autonomous vehicles at scale.
The comparison with Waymo highlights the scale of the challenge: the source report puts Waymo’s current fleet at around 4,000 cars, operating in 15 U.S. cities, and says Waymo aims to reach 8,000 by the end of the year. The same report says Waymo has a longer-term goal of 20,000 vehicles. These are reported company targets and fleet estimates, not independently verified figures in the supplied material.
Uber’s Scale Challenge
The target matters because Uber is trying to make autonomous rides a substantial part of its business without building every vehicle or operating system itself. Its platform strategy relies on partnerships, giving it a route to offer driverless rides while working with companies that develop and run the technology. But the reported fleet gap shows the difference between Uber’s ambition and Waymo’s current operating scale.
Execution is the central test. Uber’s 700-vehicle year-end milestone would be an early indicator of whether its various partnerships can translate into vehicles actually serving customers. The planned spread across roughly 20 cities also brings operational complexity: deployment depends on local availability and the companies involved, details that have not been laid out in the source material.
The reported possibility of a change to Uber and Waymo’s relationship adds uncertainty. If the companies end or alter their arrangements, Uber may need other partners to supply more service in affected markets. That would make progress on its other autonomous-vehicle partnerships more consequential, but the available information does not establish that a split has been agreed.
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The Uber-Waymo Relationship
Uber has built its autonomous-vehicle plans around multiple partnerships rather than a single in-house robotaxi fleet. It currently offers Waymo rides through Uber’s app in some markets, including Atlanta, according to the source report. In that arrangement, customers may be matched with a robotaxi or a human-driven ride.
The companies’ current arrangement is not described as settled for the long term. The report says the Financial Times reported that Uber and Waymo were discussing whether to end their contract, and that Waymo planned to end its exclusive deal with Uber in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028. Bloomberg reported a Waymo executive’s criticism of the customer experience. These reports point to friction, but do not confirm that the broader partnership has ended.
Uber has also discussed an eventual target of 120,000 robotaxis, according to the Financial Times, without specifying a timetable. The source report says Uber expects to fund expansion from its earnings initially and may seek outside capital when its autonomous fleet exceeds 10,000 vehicles. That longer-range ambition is separate from the dated 2,000-vehicle target.
“Our focus on autonomous is now on commercial execution.”
— Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, as quoted by The Times
Fleet Plans and Partnership Status
Uber’s deployment details remain limited. The supplied report does not name all 20 planned cities, identify which partner will supply each vehicle, or explain how the $10 billion investment will be allocated. It also does not clarify how Uber defines a robotaxi as part of its fleet or whether the 700-vehicle milestone means vehicles operating regularly or simply available in service.
The reported talks with Waymo are also unresolved in the available material. The source describes discussions about ending the current contract and a planned end to exclusivity in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028, but does not establish that the companies have agreed to terminate their broader relationship. Waymo’s stated future fleet goals and Uber’s longer-term 120,000-vehicle ambition are plans, not confirmed outcomes.
Milestones Through 2027
The next stated checkpoint is Uber’s goal of 700 robotaxis by the end of this year. Progress against that target should provide a clearer indication of how quickly its partners can put vehicles into service. Uber’s longer milestone is 2,000 by the end of 2027 across about 20 cities.
Readers will also be watching for further details on Uber’s partner network and any formal announcement about its Waymo agreements. Based on the source report, the exclusivity arrangement in Austin and Atlanta is scheduled to end in January 2028; any changes before then, or confirmation of the broader contract’s status, have not been provided.
Key Questions
How many robotaxis does Uber plan to have by 2027?
Uber says it is targeting 2,000 robotaxis by the end of 2027, with about 700 expected by the end of this year.
How does Uber’s target compare with Waymo’s fleet?
The source report puts Waymo’s current fleet at around 4,000 vehicles and says the company plans to reach 8,000 by year-end. Those figures are reported estimates and targets, not independently verified here.
Where does Uber plan to operate its robotaxis?
Uber says the fleet is intended for about 20 cities worldwide. Roughly half of the vehicles are planned for the United States, with the remainder split among Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The company has not listed all the cities in the supplied material.
Are Uber and Waymo ending their partnership?
The source report says the companies are discussing the future of their contract and that Waymo plans to end its exclusive deal with Uber in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028. It does not confirm that the broader partnership has been terminated.
Source: insideevs.com
