Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is enthusiastic concerning the firm’s pilot with Waymo. In Q1 prepared remarks, he stated the launch in Austin has “exceeded our expectations,” noting that the 100 self-driving automobiles there have been busier than 99% of the town’s human drivers. The robust efficiency has Uber looking forward to its next Waymo rollout in Atlanta.
However Waymo isn’t Uber’s solely autonomous companion. Simply hours earlier than Khosrowshahi’s feedback had been launched, Uber announced an expanded take care of WeRide, a worldwide rival to Waymo. WeRide’s robotaxis will quickly launch in 15 new cities exterior the U.S. and China.
Whereas Waymo could also be Uber’s marquee U.S. partner, the rideshare large is making it clear it received’t depend on only one self-driving tech supplier.
Uber’s increasing self-driving offers
In the US, Waymo stays the dominant pressure in robotaxis, particularly since Cruise has shuttered. Waymo’s autonomous automobiles are already working in Austin and are set to launch in Atlanta. “Waymo’s security document and rider expertise coupled with Uber’s scale and reliability out there have ensured that these automobiles are extraordinarily busy,” CEO Dara Khosrowshahi famous in his Q1 remarks.
However the Uber-Waymo relationship hasn’t been with out friction. When Waymo introduced a Miami growth with out Uber in December, Uber’s inventory took successful. In response, the corporate unveiled new American partnerships, first with Volkswagen in April after which with May Mobility in June. (Uber declined to remark for this story.)
In the meantime, Uber’s worldwide self-driving investments are accelerating. Simply forward of Khosrowshahi’s remarks, the corporate introduced an expanded partnership with WeRide, the Chinese language robotaxi agency already working with Uber in Abu Dhabi. The brand new settlement covers 15 further cities—deliberately exterior each the U.S. and China—and features a $100 million investment.
The identical week, Uber introduced an expanded deal with Pony.ai, one other Chinese language autonomous car firm. Whereas the settlement excludes operations in China and the U.S., it considerably broadens their collaboration throughout the Center East. Simply days earlier, Uber additionally introduced a brand new partnership with Momenta for deployment throughout Europe.
So far, Uber has inked offers with 18 self-driving firms. Waymo should be Uber’s largest U.S. wager, however globally, the ride-hailing large is hedging these bets quick.
Who ought to lead the robotaxi revolution?
Not way back, Uber hoped to supply robotaxis, and never simply fee them. The corporate invested over $1 billion into their very own self-driving know-how. However in 2020, it pulled the plug, promoting its autonomous car unit to Aurora, the place CEO Dara Khosrowshahi now sits on the board.
Uber isn’t alone amongst American firms that did not crack autonomous driving. Lyft additionally deserted its self-driving ambitions. Cruise, Common Motors’ robotaxi division, successfully shut down after one in every of its automobiles dragged a pedestrian about 20 ft. Tesla continues to hype its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software program, however Elon Musk’s promised robotaxi nonetheless hasn’t arrived.
That leaves Waymo because the main—if not the one—American contender within the robotaxi race. In the meantime, Chinese language corporations like WeRide, Pony.ai, and Momenta are quickly increasing. Uber is poised to play a serious position on this rising international market, serving autonomous rides to its loyal consumer base. For now, Uber isn’t selecting only one horse—it’s betting on your complete discipline.
