The robotaxi partnership between Uber and Waymo in Phoenix has come to an end.
According to CNBC Technology, the two companies have wrapped up their robotaxi pilot in the city, meaning riders can no longer hail a driverless Waymo through the Uber app there. Engadget similarly reports that Uber is no longer offering Waymo rides in Phoenix.
The cars themselves, however, are not being parked. CNBC reports that the Waymo self-driving vehicles deployed in Phoenix for the Uber pilot will stay in service and be used to make autonomous deliveries with DoorDash. In other words, the same fleet shifts from carrying passengers to carrying takeout and packages.
The move also hints at a strategic shift for Uber. Engadget notes that rather than relying on external partnerships like the one with Waymo, Uber may start leaning on its own robotaxis to provide driverless options going forward.
Why it matters: The autonomous vehicle business is still figuring out who controls the customer and the fleet. Waymo, owned by Google parent Alphabet, has its own app and its own ambitions, while Uber wants to be the place people go to summon any ride, driverless or not. The end of this pilot — and the cars' pivot to deliveries — shows how fluid those alliances remain, and signals that Uber may prefer to own its self-driving future rather than rent it from a rival.