Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) CEO Dara Khosrowshahi sees the company shifting from a ride-sharing marketplace dependent on human drivers into an open platform that blends gig workers with third-party autonomous vehicle fleets.
Uber Builds Platform For Every Ride
Khosrowshahi highlighted that strategy Monday on X, praising a Fast Company profile of Uber's autonomous vehicle plans. "Grateful to our @Uber teams who are building the platform for every ride — no matter who's driving," he wrote.
The profile said Uber has moved away from its turbulent effort to build its own self-driving fleet. Under Khosrowshahi, Uber is instead pursuing a multi-billion-dollar strategy to host robotaxis from different manufacturers and technology providers.
Khosrowshahi Bets On Autonomy Ecosystem
"We get to work with everybody in the ecosystem," Khosrowshahi told Fast Company. "We get to see all of the different approaches to autonomy as well. And when you're operating at our scale, doing more than 40 million trips a day, we think the bet that we're making on the ecosystem is the right bet."
Benzinga reached out to Uber’s press office for additional comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Uber has committed about $10 billion as an equity investor and customer across roughly 30 self-driving partners. It aims to deploy tens of thousands of robotaxis and expects operations in more than 15 markets by the end of 2026.
Uber has diversified through agreements with Alphabet Inc.-backed (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) Waymo, startups including Nuro and Waabi, and automakers such as Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ:RIVN) and Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA).
Robotaxis Could Solve Demand Swings
Khosrowshahi says Uber's real-time marketplace can solve a key robotaxi challenge of uneven demand. A hybrid network can keep costly autonomous fleets busy during slower periods while using human drivers for peak-hour surges.
"It's more and more apparent to me that there are going to be many, many [autonomous vehicle] players that make it to the finish line here," Khosrowshahi said. "Our role is about commercializing this technology that ultimately is going to save lives and be the largest revenue generator for this industry."
On Uber's first-quarter earnings call in May, Khosrowshahi called AVs a "trillion-dollar TAM" and said autonomy represented "huge opportunities for the entire industry." He has also expressed optimism about adding Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) robotaxis to Uber's platform.
Uber reported first-quarter revenue of $13.20 billion, up 14% from a year earlier but below analysts' $13.29 billion estimate. Adjusted earnings of 72 cents a share topped the 70-cent estimate. Gross bookings rose 25% to $53.72 billion, while trips rose 20% to 3.64 billion.
According to Benzinga Edge Rankings, Uber stock offers poor Momentum, but excellent Growth. It also fails to provide a favorable price trend in the Short, Medium and Long term.
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