NEW YORK, July 24, 2026, 16:19 EDT
Shares of Uber Technologies NYSE:UBER slid 4.3% on Friday following news that Waymo is considering withdrawing from their robotaxi partnership. The decline wiped out roughly $6.1 billion in market capitalization, according to initial estimates. U.S. markets subsequently closed for the weekend.
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet NASDAQ:GOOGL, delivers over 500,000 fully driverless rides each week. This volume strengthens Waymo’s position in discussions over platform collaboration. Any separation would challenge Uber’s approach to working with external partners.
The immediate exposure is limited. At 500,000 trips per week over 13 weeks, this totals 6.5 million trips. This amount represents only 0.18% of Uber’s most recent quarterly platform trips.
| Measure | Latest verified figure | Investor read-through |
|---|---|---|
| Uber platform trips, first quarter | 3.643 billion | Reflects total operations over the quarter |
| Waymo weekly autonomous trips | More than 500,000 | Covers rides apart from Uber’s numbers |
| Waymo 13-week baseline | 6.5 million, preliminary | Approximately 0.18% the volume of Uber trips |
| Uber’s Friday value loss | About $6.1 billion, preliminary | Reflects market pricing in risk from strategy |
| Earliest direct Austin and Atlanta entry | January 2028 | Entry is in roughly 17 months |
The comparison includes all platform trips by Uber, such as deliveries. This figure does not represent revenue. Nonetheless, the disparity is marked.
Investor attention is on future leverage rather than present ride counts. If Uber loses Waymo, it will be left without the leading autonomous supplier in two key pilot regions.
The Financial Times reported that Waymo has discussed internally whether to terminate existing agreements. Uber stated that Waymo intends to launch directly in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028, as allowed by current contracts. The two companies have also disagreed regarding robotaxi regulations and standards of service.
The partnership previously concluded in Phoenix during the last month. According to Uber, that trial deployed slightly more than twelve vehicles. In Austin and Atlanta, Waymo cars continue to be offered via the Uber platform.
Uber’s response is to diversify. In May, Chief Financial Officer Balaji Krishnamurthy stated that the company employs a “capital-efficient approach to AVs.” Uber reported $2.3 billion in free cash flow for the first quarter. Uber Investor Relations
Uber ended Friday at $65.96. Shares declined each day of the week, finishing down 9.0%. Selling intensified following release of the Waymo report late Friday.
The coming week features a Federal Reserve policy decision on Wednesday along with a wave of key technology earnings reports, both likely to drive market sentiment. Uber’s next major update arrives with its quarterly results on August 5.
Risks: Waymo has yet to confirm a definitive withdrawal. The FT report pointed to internal conversations rather than a finalized exit agreement. While the January 2028 runway avoids near-term upheaval, long-term access and financial terms are still unclear.
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