Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi revealed that Elon Musk plans to keep Tesla's self-driving fleet independent, declining to make Tesla's robotaxis available on Uber's ride-sharing platform. This decision positions Uber and Waymo, Alphabet Inc.'s autonomous vehicle unit, as competitors to Tesla in the autonomous vehicle market. Khosrowshahi expressed interest in partnering with Tesla, citing the economic benefits of integrating Tesla drivers into Uber's platform, which could help manage variable demand in the autonomous vehicle ecosystem. Despite Tesla's stance, Uber continues to advance its autonomous vehicle strategy through multiple manufacturer partnerships and investments in self-driving technology companies.
The potential launch of Tesla robotaxis and the expansion of Waymo's services pose a challenge to Uber's current business model, which relies heavily on human drivers. Bloomberg Intelligence suggests that these developments could impact Uber's ride volume growth and commission rates. Uber plans to launch autonomous rides with Waymo in Austin next month and in Atlanta over the summer, while Waymo continues to offer driverless rides through its own app in other markets like San Francisco and Miami.
Key takeaways:
Elon Musk plans to keep Tesla's self-driving fleet independent and not available on Uber's ride-sharing platform.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi expressed interest in partnering with Tesla, citing economic benefits for both companies.
Uber has formed multiple partnerships with self-driving technology companies and is launching autonomous rides with Waymo in Austin and Atlanta.
The launch of Tesla robotaxis and Waymo's expansion could impact Uber's ride volume growth and commission rates.
