Aug 5, 2026 · 10 min
Uber bets on robotaxis without abandoning human drivers
BONUS: Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi Talks Robotaxis & Booking Outlook
Uber’s growth remains tied to healthy mobility and delivery demand even as it builds a multi-partner autonomous-vehicle network.
- 1Uber sees strong bookings across mobility and delivery, with consumer demand and driver earnings remaining healthy.
- 2Dara Khosrowshahi plans to expand robotaxi availability from seven to 15 markets through partnerships with Waymo, Zoox, and others.
- 3Autonomous vehicles command strong demand and pricing, but still account for a very small share of Uber trips.
Don't miss
Dara Khosrowshahi describes Uber’s ambition to combine human drivers with multiple autonomous-vehicle partners as robotaxi adoption grows.
The brief
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says bookings are growing strongly across mobility and delivery, while consumer demand and driver earnings show no clear signs of weakening.
That healthy core business gives Uber room to pursue robotaxis, with plans to expand autonomous service from seven markets to 15 as adoption builds.
Khosrowshahi frames Uber as an open marketplace for human drivers and multiple autonomous-vehicle partners, rather than a company betting on one winner.
Waymo and Zoox are central to the discussion, but the larger strategy is ecosystem-building: Uber wants several robotaxi partners available through its app.
Robotaxi demand and pricing are already strong, Khosrowshahi says, even though autonomous vehicles remain a very small share of total trips.
Featuring
Dara KhosrowshahiMentioned
UberListen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.