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Autos & EVs

Uber Shifts Autonomous Vehicle Strategy

WireByte Staff · August 1, 2026

Uber has abandoned its autonomous vehicle development, ending a two-year effort that saw partnerships with over 30 companies. The move follows a fatal crash in 2018 and a lawsuit from Waymo. Uber had previously invested in companies like Otto and Kodiak AI, but will now focus on ride-hailing services.

Key points

  • Uber has ended its autonomous vehicle development program, two years after partnering with over 30 companies.
  • The decision follows a fatal crash in 2018 and a lawsuit from Waymo over trade secrets.
  • Uber had previously invested in companies like Otto and Kodiak AI, but will now focus on ride-hailing services.
  • The company's autonomous vehicle program was initially led by Travis Kalanick, but was reorganized after his resignation in 2017.
  • Uber's autonomous vehicle testing was suspended in 2018 and never fully resumed.

Uber has made a significant shift in its strategy, abandoning its autonomous vehicle development program. The move comes two years after the company partnered with over 30 companies in the space. This decision follows a fatal crash in 2018, which led to a lawsuit from Waymo over trade secrets.

Uber's autonomous vehicle program was initially led by Travis Kalanick, but was reorganized after his resignation in 2017. The company's autonomous vehicle testing was suspended in 2018 and never fully resumed.

In a bid to focus on ride-hailing services, Uber has decided to end its moonshot projects, including its autonomous vehicle development program. The company had previously invested in companies like Otto and Kodiak AI, but will now focus on its core business.

The decision to end the autonomous vehicle program is seen as a strategic shift by Uber, which aims to focus on its core ride-hailing services. The company's move is likely to have implications for the autonomous vehicle industry, which has seen significant investment in recent years.

Sources

WireByte Staff — Editorial Team

The WireByte editorial team synthesises technology news from multiple primary sources, verifies the facts, and links every source. Articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed under our editorial policy.