Uber wants to be a Swiss Army Knife for robotaxis

Uber has launched a new division called Uber Autonomous Solutions to provide comprehensive operational support for autonomous vehicle (AV) companies, including robotaxis, self-driving trucks, and delivery robots. This initiative aims to handle tasks such as demand generation, rider experience, customer support, fleet management, regulatory compliance, and infrastructure needs like training data and mapping. By doing so, Uber intends to allow AV technology developers to focus on building their core software while Uber manages the complexities of commercial deployment, helping partners reduce costs per mile and accelerate market entry. The company plans to scale robotaxi deployments to over 15 cities by the end of 2026. This move follows Uber’s 2020 sale of its in-house autonomous driving unit (Uber ATG) after a fatal accident and internal challenges. Since then, Uber has built a broad network of partnerships and investments with nearly two dozen AV technology firms worldwide, including Waymo, Baidu, Pony.ai, and Volkswagen, among others. Uber’s new division also emphasizes fleet