Uber’s Robotaxi plans take a twist with Travis Kalanick back in the picture
Synopsis
Uber’s expanding robotaxi strategy has renewed attention on former CEO Travis Kalanick after Dara Khosrowshahi said the company would consider future autonomous vehicle partnerships. The comments come as Waymo, Tesla and other companies increase self-driving deployments globally, while Uber continues growing through partnerships instead of developing autonomous technology internally.
Uber said it remains open to autonomous vehicle partnerships involving Travis Kalanick as robotaxi competition grows. The company continues expanding global deployments while reporting higher revenue, bookings and trip growth.
Key Highlights
- Uber said it remains open to autonomous vehicle partnerships involving Travis Kalanick.
- Uber and Nvidia are reportedly targeting robotaxi deployment across 28 cities from 2026.
- Waymo currently provides more than 250,000 paid robotaxi rides weekly in the US.
- Uber reported $13.2 billion revenue during first-quarter 2026 financial results.
Uber's robotaxi plan is rolling out in key cities around the world, and CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has stated that he would be open to working with former CEO Travis Kalanick again on autonomous vehicle initiatives.
The statements follow a ramping up of competition in the autonomous ride-hailing sector. Firms such as Waymo, Tesla, Pony.ai and WeRide are scaling up their deployments, and regulators in various cities are paving more streets for commercial, automated transportation.
Robotaxi Race Widens
Over the past few years, Uber has transitioned from developing its own autonomous vehicle system to partnering with experts to operate the systems. The company is currently partnering with companies like WeRide, Aurora and Waymo.
According to a report by Reuters in March, Uber and Nvidia are preparing to roll out their robotaxi services in 28 cities from 2026. The markets that are connected to the rollout are the Los Angeles, Houston, London, Munich, Madrid, Zurich and Hong Kong markets.
The city of Hong Kong looks set to be the first robotaxi market in Asia for Uber. The city has recently been increasing testing grounds for autonomous transport services, a trend that is gaining momentum in other regions of Asia and Europe.
Pressure Builds Across Ride-Hailing Sector
Uber's remarks on Kalanick come amid calls from the ride-hailing market for companies to cut operating costs and boost margins. The transport companies are increasingly considering autonomous vehicles as a long-term solution to reduce driver-related costs.
Alphabet's Waymo is continuing commercial operations in Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles while Tesla recently announced the expansion of public discussion on its new robotaxi platform. Waymo is already providing over 250,000 paid rides with a robot car each week in the United States, according to Reuters.
Uber's strategy is unique in comparison to a number of competitors, as it's a booking/distribution service, not a standalone vehicle developer.
Latest Uber Financials
Uber's Q1 2026 revenue was $13.2 billion, an increase of 14% from the same period last year. Constant currency bookings grew by 21% and trips grew by 20%.
The company also posted $2.5 billion in adjusted EBITDA for the quarter. Khosrowshahi recently stated that by the next 10 years, India will be Uber's biggest market by number of trips.
FAQs
Q1. Why is Uber talking about Travis Kalanick again?
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company is open to partnering with Travis Kalanick on autonomous vehicle projects if opportunities align with Uber’s strategy.
Q2. How is Uber expanding its robotaxi business?
Uber is partnering with autonomous vehicle companies including Waymo, Aurora and WeRide to expand robotaxi services across multiple global cities.
Q3. Which cities are part of Uber’s robotaxi rollout plans?
Cities linked to Uber’s robotaxi expansion include Los Angeles, Houston, London, Madrid, Munich, Zurich and Hong Kong.
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Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
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