Waymo vs Nuro
Compare Waymo and Nuro on service areas, vehicles, rider fares and private-car access.
How the operators compare
Both operators have records in San Francisco, Houston. Compare access at the same time and for the same pickup and destination.
| Field | Waymo | Nuro |
|---|---|---|
| Parent company | Alphabet | Unknown |
| Vehicle platforms | Jaguar I-PACE, Ojai | Lucid Gravity |
| Company-wide owner access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Cities covered in this dataset | Austin, San Francisco, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, San Diego, Tampa, Houston, Munich, Atlanta | San Francisco, Houston |
| Service description | Waymo sells trips in a defined service area. Riders use its app in most markets and Uber in Austin and Atlanta. The map for each market shows where a rider can request a trip. | Nuro supplies the automated driving system in a robotaxi program with Lucid and Uber. Uber identifies Lucid as the vehicle manufacturer and describes depot, charging and maintenance work for its fleet partners. |
City-level evidence
| City | Operator | Service status | Since | Vehicle | Onboard monitor | Owner enrollment | Verified | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Waymo | Public · paid | Unknown | Unknown | No | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Rider FAQ, vehicles and pricing |
| Austin | Waymo | Public · paid | Mar 4, 2025 | Jaguar I-PACE | No | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Waymo rides open to Uber customers in Austin |
| Denver | Waymo | Public · paid | Sep 1, 2026 | Ojai | No | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | First public riders in Denver, San Diego and Tampa |
| Houston | Nuro | Testing | Unknown | Lucid Gravity program | Yes | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Uber, Nuro and Lucid plan Houston service |
| Houston | Waymo | Public · paid | Feb 24, 2026 | Unknown | No | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Waymo opens paid service in four new cities |
| Las Vegas | Waymo | Public · paid | Sep 14, 2026 | Ojai | No | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Waymo adds Las Vegas airport trips |
| Los Angeles | Waymo | Public · paid | Unknown | Jaguar I-PACE and Ojai | No | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Where you can go |
| Munich | Waymo | Announced | Aug 25, 2026 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Waymo’s plans for Munich |
| Phoenix | Waymo | Public · paid | Unknown | Jaguar I-PACE and Ojai | No | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Where you can go |
| San Diego | Waymo | Public · paid | Sep 1, 2026 | Ojai | No | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Waymo opens access in San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa |
| San Francisco | Nuro | Employee only | Unknown | Lucid Gravity | Unknown | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Third-quarter 2026 investor presentation, robotaxi milestones |
| San Francisco | Waymo | Public · paid | Unknown | Jaguar I-PACE and Ojai | No | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Where you can go |
| Tampa | Waymo | Public · paid | Sep 1, 2026 | Unknown | No | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Waymo opens access in San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa |
Fare and service-area notes
| Service | Area and booking access | Fare evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Waymo · Austin | Uber matches eligible requests in the Austin service area. | The initial Waymo match carried the price of the requested Uber product. |
| Waymo · San Francisco | Service extends along the peninsula from San Francisco toward San Jose. Check both addresses in the app. | Waymo quotes the trip before booking. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Waymo · Phoenix | The service area includes downtown Phoenix, Scottsdale and portions of the East Valley. | Waymo quotes the trip before booking. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Waymo · Las Vegas | Waymo admits riders gradually. Its Las Vegas service includes Harry Reid International Airport. | Waymo quotes the trip before booking. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Waymo · Los Angeles | Waymo describes service from Santa Monica to Echo Park. Use the current map to check a specific trip. | Waymo quotes the trip before booking. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Waymo · Denver | Rider access is being expanded gradually. The Waymo app determines eligibility for an individual account. | Waymo quotes the trip before booking. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Waymo · San Diego | The invitation requirement was removed in October. Check the app for the trip boundary. | Waymo quotes the trip before booking. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Waymo · Tampa | Waymo removed its Tampa invitation requirement in October. Current eligible stops appear in the app. | Waymo quotes the trip before booking. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Waymo · Houston | Waymo lists Houston among its rider markets. The local service map describes gradual access. | Waymo quotes the trip before booking. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Waymo · Munich | Waymo announced mapping and supervised testing ahead of a targeted commercial launch late in 2027. | Announced market. No public fare verified. |
| Waymo · Atlanta | Uber can match eligible Atlanta riders with a Waymo in the operating area. | Check the eligible Uber product’s quote. |
| Nuro · San Francisco | The Uber, Nuro and Lucid program reports employee test rides in the San Francisco Bay Area. | Employee testing. No public fare verified. |
| Nuro · Houston | Uber reports on-road tests with Nuro safety operators in Houston. The partners target a later commercial launch. | Supervised testing. No public fare verified. |
What this means for earning money here
Paid passenger service is recorded for Waymo. A rider fare can help price a trip, while the owner’s receipts depend on how the fare is settled. The reviewed local records do not establish an open enrollment program for a privately owned car.
For San Francisco, reserve the hours needed for personal trips, then vary paid utilization and the owner share. Enter the electricity tariff and insurance quote that apply to the vehicle. Unknown fares and uncontracted shares remain scenario assumptions.
Sources
- Uber, Nuro and Lucid plan Houston service
- Waymo rider locations and booking partners
- Waymo rides open to Uber customers in Austin
- Where you can go
- Waymo adds Las Vegas airport trips
- First public riders in Denver, San Diego and Tampa
- Waymo opens access in San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa
- Waymo opens paid service in four new cities
- Waymo’s plans for Munich
- Rider FAQ, vehicles and pricing
- Third-quarter 2026 investor presentation, robotaxi milestones
The Robotaxi Profit Report
Get the week’s verified service changes and the numbers behind them.