Waymo Robotaxis Outperform 99% of Uber Drivers in Daily Trips
The competitive landscape of ride-hailing is rapidly evolving, with autonomous vehicles emerging as a significant force. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi recently highlighted a striking trend: Waymo’s robotaxis, operating within the Uber network in Atlanta and Austin, are completing more trips per day than an overwhelming majority—99%—of human Uber drivers in those cities. This revelation, made during Uber’s Q2 2025 earnings call, underscores the growing efficiency and potential of driverless technology in urban mobility.
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has been aggressively expanding its footprint across the United States. Its partnership with Uber, initiated in early 2025, sees Waymo’s fully autonomous, all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles integrated into the Uber app in key markets like Austin and Atlanta. In Austin, approximately 100 Waymo robotaxis are already in operation, with plans to expand the fleet to hundreds over time in both cities. This strategic collaboration allows Uber to tap into the burgeoning autonomous vehicle market without the massive investment required to develop its own self-driving technology, a path it previously abandoned in 2020.
The superior productivity of Waymo’s robotaxis stems from their ability to operate continuously without human limitations like breaks, rest, or shift changes. This 24/7 operational capability, combined with lower per-trip costs due to the absence of driver payouts, positions autonomous fleets as a potentially more profitable long-term solution for ride-hailing companies. Khosrowshahi noted that having Waymo vehicles on the platform appears to create a “positive halo effect,” exciting users and contributing to overall system engagement, particularly evident in Austin.
While the immediate impact on human drivers might seem concerning, Uber’s CEO has suggested that both autonomous and human-driven services can co-exist and grow for the next five to ten years. However, industry analysis indicates that robotaxis could replace a significant portion—30-50%—of human-driven ride-hailing trips by 2030, potentially leading to a substantial shift in the labor market. This necessitates a re-evaluation of business models for companies like Uber and Lyft, and a focus on retraining programs for drivers who may be displaced by automation.
Waymo’s expansion plans extend beyond its Uber partnership. The company is actively testing its vehicles, often with a safety driver, in over 10 new cities in 2025, including Las Vegas and San Diego, to gather diverse data and advance its autonomous driving system, the “Waymo Driver”. Waymo also plans to launch services in Miami and Washington, D.C. in 2026, and recently announced a partnership with Avis Budget Group for fleet management in Dallas, further diversifying its operational strategy.
The push for robotaxis is also driven by safety considerations. Autonomous vehicles are designed to be free from human errors such as distraction, fatigue, or impairment, which account for a vast majority of traffic accidents. Waymo’s own data suggests its vehicles are significantly safer than human drivers, reporting 88% fewer crashes leading to serious injuries or worse, and 78% fewer injury-causing crashes over tens of millions of autonomous miles. As the technology matures and regulatory approvals are anticipated in more major cities, the widespread adoption of robotaxis could lead to a dramatic reduction in accidents and potentially lower fares for consumers by as much as 40% by 2027.
The rapid advancement and deployment of Waymo’s robotaxis, and their demonstrated productivity advantage within Uber’s network, signal a transformative period for the ride-hailing industry. While challenges remain, the trajectory points towards an increasingly autonomous future for urban transportation.