Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi shared insights during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call concerning the integration of self-driving cars into the rideshare platform. He noted that while companies like Waymo are advancing the tech in select cities, hurdles remain. Khosrowshahi highlighted that the commercialization of this technology might take considerably longer than anticipated. Safety remains a primary concern, with autonomous vehicles needing to demonstrate safety significantly superior to human drivers to gain public trust. Furthermore, the operational demands such as maintenance and the required infrastructure for parking must be addressed. For example, Khosrowshahi explained that self-driving cars could cover up to 100,000 miles annually, necessitating frequent servicing and recharging, unlike typical consumer vehicles that average 10,000 to 15,000 miles. Regulatory challenges and the substantial costs of self-driving technology also pose additional roadblocks. Uber's collaboration with Waymo, which was recently extended to new cities like Atlanta and Austin, will be pivotal as they navigate these complex obstacles.