Uber CEO: The Road to Widespread Self-Driving Taxis is Long Ahead

In a recent earnings call, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi addressed the anticipated timeline for integrating self-driving cars into the rideshare service, emphasising that widespread adoption will take considerably longer than expected. He highlighted various issues slowing progress, including safety concerns, regulatory hurdles, and the need for adequate infrastructure like parking and maintenance facilities. Khosrowshahi noted that while companies like Waymo and Tesla are making strides in select cities, scaling these technologies for a comprehensive fleet poses significant challenges. Notably, Khosrowshahi remarked, 'We think that the commercialization of the technology is going to take way, way longer.' Uber's initiatives already include partnerships with Waymo in Phoenix, with plans to expand to Atlanta and Austin this year. However, he cautioned that autonomous vehicles must be 'orders of magnitude safer than human drivers' to gain public trust. As the journey toward autonomous rides continues, Khosrowshahi reaffirmed that he does not foresee autonomous vehicles replacing human drivers within the next five years.