Uber says more Waymos are good for Uber too

The company believes robotaxis are spurring growth in the ride-hailing sector as a whole.

1 minute read

April 19, 2026, 10:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


White Waymo SUV in traffic on New York City street.

A Waymo SUV in New York City. | rblfmr / Shutterstock

In Uber's latest earnings call, the company revealed that it believes the growth of Waymo and other robotaxi companies will drive overall growth in the ride-hailing sector, actualizing concerns that self-driving cars will lead to more driving and more cars on the road.

As Sophia Leibowitz explains in Streetsblog NYC, "Uber used its investor presentation to explain that in Austin and Atlanta — cities where Uber has a partnership with Waymo to offer driverless Waymo cabs from the Uber app — the company’s overall trip numbers have 'grown significantly.'" In San Francisco, the cab market has grown as a whole since Waymo started operating there. 

Sustainable transportation advocates warn that designing cities around autonomous cars — such as reopening San Francisco's Market Street to ride-hailing services after being closed to cars since 2020 — is repeating the mistakes of the past, when public space became increasingly dominated by and dedicated to cars. 

Friday, April 17, 2026 in StreetsBlog NYC

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