The once-launched electric vehicle market is slowing, but Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is not confused. He said in a speech at the Concordia summit in New York today (September 23) that Uber’s push toward self-driving cars could be a “catalyst” for the adoption of electric vehicles.
In addition to safety and affordability, autonomous vehicles (AVs) offer another major advantage: sustainability. “Another really positive factor for AVS is that AVS is also electric,” Khosrowshahi said. He noted that Uber’s growing footprint of automatic occupation in the United States is a way to help restore the transition of automated vehicles in the country.
Since 2017, Uber, led by Khosrowshahi, currently offers AV rides in Austin, Atlanta and Phoenix through a partnership with Alphabet’s Waymo. The company partnered with Weride in China to provide automated rides supervised by human safety drivers in Middle Eastern cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
This footprint will be expanded. Khosrowshahi said Uber plans to open a new project in Germany and Asia later this year, noting that the company is now working with about 20 AV partners around the world. “Autonomousness is happening now, it is expanding around the world.”
According to Khosrowshahi, a supportive regulatory framework is crucial when choosing the AV market. “They aren’t distracted, they don’t text, and most of these AV models will drive the mileage you and I will drive,” he said.
Launching in areas where Uber has a strong presence is another advantage. Adding AV services to existing networks can increase operational efficiency and help offset high costs – self-driving cars can run over $100,000. “You want these vehicles to use as much as possible,” Khosrowshahi noted.
Over time, AVs are expected to lower fares, which may boost demand. To avoid exacerbating traffic congestion, Khosrowshahi envisions a future dominated by a shared autonomous ride with multiple passengers, which he calls “new developments.” That’s why Uber has been investing in services like Uberx Share, which allows riders to allocate travel and costs, he said.
Although AV has been in development for decades, advances in AI have pushed technology into new areas. Early self-driving cars were largely certain. With the advent of large language models, modern systems can now learn complex real-world driving by observing in a more human-like way. After years of research, they “finally prepared for prime time.” “In terms of technology development (technical security), the acceleration of acceleration is extraordinary.”
