From Travis Kalanick's ambitious ATG to Dara Khosrowshahi’s reset, Uber has been a relentless player in the autonomous vehicle (AV) space. Over the past two years, it has partnered with over 30 companies, ranging from self-driving truck giants like Aurora and Baidu to European robotaxi operators such as Avomo.

The moves are strategic but complex. In 2024, Uber began making significant AV deals again, including a multi-year collaboration with Aurora for logistics in the US, and an intriguing partnership with Autobrains to launch a robotaxi service in Munich.

Avride’s autonomous sidewalk robots, fitted onto Hyundai IONIQ 5s, have been seen in Austin and Dallas since February 2025. However, Uber and Avride faced scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after more than a dozen crashes involving these vehicles by June of that year.

Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles are set for deployment outside the US and mainland China, starting in Asia and the Middle East later this year. Meanwhile, Cartken, once focused on food delivery robots, has pivoted to industrial robotics.