Uber CEO says having fleets of robotaxis will take a while
Feb 05, 2025 - businessinsider.com
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi stated that the widespread adoption of driverless cars in rideshare services will take considerable time due to various challenges. During Uber's fourth-quarter earnings call, he highlighted issues such as safety, parking, and regulatory hurdles as significant barriers. While Uber is collaborating with Waymo to offer self-driving cars in cities like Phoenix, with plans to expand to Atlanta and Austin, scaling this technology to create large fleets remains difficult. Khosrowshahi emphasized that autonomous vehicles must be significantly safer than human-driven cars to gain public trust and noted the logistical challenges of maintaining and charging these vehicles frequently.
Additionally, Khosrowshahi pointed out the high costs of self-driving vehicles and the need for regulatory clarity as obstacles to their widespread use. He mentioned that the Trump administration might develop a federal approach to autonomous vehicle regulations. Despite advancements, Khosrowshahi does not foresee autonomous vehicles replacing Uber's human drivers in the next five years, as the company continues to rely on its network of independent contractor drivers to meet demand and handle vehicle maintenance tasks.
Key takeaways:
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi stated that making driverless cars common in rideshare will take a long time due to various challenges.
Uber is working with Waymo to offer driverless cars in cities like Phoenix, with plans to expand to Atlanta and Austin.
Safety, parking, and maintenance are significant challenges for scaling driverless car fleets, along with regulatory and cost issues.
Khosrowshahi does not expect autonomous vehicles to replace Uber's human drivers within the next five years.
