Uber’s new autonomous vehicle division is about survival and opportunity

Uber has launched a new division called Uber Autonomous Solutions aimed at supporting autonomous vehicle (AV) makers by handling the operational aspects of running robotaxi, self-driving truck, and delivery robot businesses. This initiative formalizes Uber’s ongoing efforts and extensive partnerships with nearly two dozen AV technology companies across various use cases. Uber’s goal is to provide services such as demand generation, rider experience, customer support, fleet management, regulatory compliance, and infrastructure support like training data and mapping. By doing so, Uber intends to help AV companies reduce costs per mile and accelerate their market deployment, targeting robotaxi operations in over 15 cities by the end of 2026. This move represents both a survival strategy and an opportunity for Uber. After selling its internal AV development unit, Uber ATG, in 2020 following a fatal accident and operational challenges, Uber has shifted to a partnership and service-oriented model. Collaborations with companies like Waymo, Baidu, Motional, and Volkswagen position Uber as a key