Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi Bets on Autonomous Cars to Revive Slowing EV Market
The once-booming U.S. market for electric vehicles is slowing, but Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi isn’t fazed. Speaking at the Concordia Summit in New York, he said Uber’s push into self-driving cars could act as a “catalyst” for EV adoption. This statement comes as the company continues to expand its global self-driving footprint, with a focus on sustainability and safety.
Photo by Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Annual Summit
Autonomous Vehicles: A Key to Sustainability
Beyond safety and affordability, autonomous vehicles (AVs) offer another key advantage: sustainability. “The other really positive factor with AVs is that AVs are, by nature, also electric,” said Khosrowshahi, who pointed to Uber’s growing autonomous footprint in the U.S. as a way to help revive the country’s flailing EV transition. With AVs being electric, they can significantly reduce carbon emissions and contribute to a more sustainable transportation system.
Uber’s Autonomous Footprint Expands Globally
Uber, led by Khosrowshahi since 2017, currently offers AV rides in Austin, Atlanta, and Phoenix through a partnership with Alphabet’s Waymo. Abroad, the company has teamed up with China-based WeRide to provide autonomous rides overseen by human safety drivers in Middle Eastern cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. That footprint is set to expand, with plans to launch in Germany and unveil new projects across Asia later this year.
Khosrowshahi noted that the company now works with about 20 AV partners worldwide, emphasizing that “autonomous is happening now, and it’s expanding all over the world.” A supportive regulatory framework is crucial when selecting AV markets, according to Khosrowshahi, who emphasized that robot drivers are five times safer than humans.
A Future Dominated by Shared Autonomous Rides
Over time, AVs are expected to lower fares, which could fuel demand. To avoid worsening congestion, Khosrowshahi envisions a future dominated by shared autonomous rides carrying multiple passengers, which he called a “newer development” in the field. That’s why Uber has been investing in services like UberX Share, which lets riders split trips and costs.
While AVs have been in development for decades, advances in A.I. have pushed the technology into new territory. Earlier generations of self-driving cars were largely deterministic. With the advent of large language models, modern systems can now handle complex real-world driving by learning through observation in more human-like ways. After years of research, they are “finally ready for prime time,” Khosrowshahi said.
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Image Source: observer.com
