How Is Uber Working With Self-Driving Car Companies?
Uber is not building its own robotaxi. It is signing up almost every company that is, more than 30 of them by TechCrunch's August 2026 count, and offering them what they lack: riders, a booking app and fleet operations. It has also put money into several, including Lucid, Rivian, Nuro, Waabi and Wayve. The most visible US partner has pulled back: Waymo ended its Phoenix arrangement with Uber in July 2026 and is reported to be trying to leave its contract, which runs to May 2028. At $69.07 UBER trades at 14.6 times earnings. This is analysis, not a recommendation.
What is Uber's strategy for self-driving cars?
Uber sold its own self-driving unit to Aurora in 2020 and has since taken a different route: be the network that autonomous vehicles plug into. A developer brings the driving software or vehicle, a fleet operator runs the cars, and Uber supplies demand. In 2026 it also started its own AV Labs unit, planning to put 500 sensor-equipped Hyundai Ioniq 5 data-collection cars on the road to gather about two million miles of data a month to share with partners.
The bet is that no single developer will win everywhere, and that the app with the riders will matter whichever one does. The risk is the mirror image: a strong developer can go direct, as Waymo's pullback shows.
Which autonomous vehicle companies does Uber work with?
| Type | Companies | What the arrangement is |
|---|---|---|
| Robotaxi developers | Waymo, Nuro, WeRide, Pony.ai, Baidu Apollo Go, Momenta, Wayve, Motional, May Mobility, Zoox, Waabi, Avride, Verne, Autobrains | Their vehicles or software appear in the Uber app in chosen cities |
| Carmakers | Lucid, Rivian, Volkswagen (MOIA), Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Nissan, Hyundai | Vehicles built for robotaxi use, some with Uber purchase commitments |
| Chips and AI | NVIDIA | A platform for robotaxis, with a goal of service in 28 cities by 2028 |
| Trucking | Aurora, Volvo Autonomous Solutions, Torc | Uber Freight works with self-driving truck developers |
| Delivery robots and drones | Avride, Serve Robotics, Starship, Coco, Flytrex | Uber Eats deliveries by sidewalk robot or drone |
| Fleet operators | Avomo, Tawasul, New Horizon, Hertz, Oro Mobility | Clean, charge, maintain and run the vehicles |
The list comes from TechCrunch's Uber deal tracker (August 1, 2026), which counts more than 30 partners. Cruise is not on it: that tie-up ended in December 2024 after GM stopped the program.
Where can you ride an autonomous vehicle on Uber today?
| Partner | Where | Status in the tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Waymo | Austin and Atlanta | Live since March and June 2025 on the Uber app. Phoenix ended in July 2026 |
| WeRide | Abu Dhabi and Dubai | Driverless in Abu Dhabi since November 2025. At least 1,200 vehicles planned across the Gulf from 2027 |
| Avride | Dallas | Robotaxis with safety operators aboard. NHTSA opened an investigation in May 2026 |
| Motional | Las Vegas | On the Uber app since March 2026 with human safety monitors |
| May Mobility | Arlington, Texas | The only market as of June 2026 |
| Nuro and Lucid | San Francisco first, then Houston | Vehicles planned, not yet in commercial service in the tracker |
| Baidu | Dubai, with London tests planned | London tests had not begun as of June 2026 |
Statuses are as of the tracker's own dates, mostly June 2026, so they are about four months old and some will have changed. Check the Uber app for what is live in your city.
How much has Uber invested?
Reported commitments, not all paid. Amber bars are conditional: Rivian is up to $1.25 billion with $300 million invested first, and Wayve's $300 million depends on robotaxi deployment. The Avride figure is Uber and Nebius combined. Source: TechCrunch, August 1, 2026.
Uber also holds more than 11% of Lucid and, per the tracker, about 19.7% of Aurora's Class A shares. Lucid's minimum order for Uber has risen to 35,000 vehicles, and Uber expects to buy 10,000 Rivian R2 robotaxis, so these deals mean owning or financing vehicles, which is heavier than running an app.
What could go wrong for Uber?
- Partners leave: Cruise ended in 2024 and Waymo has pulled back, so the network is only as stable as its partners' plans.
- Capital intensity: buying vehicles and funding developers puts Uber's cash flow behind technology that is not yet earning at scale.
- Timing: several launches in the tracker, such as Baidu in London, had not started months after they were announced.
- Safety and regulation: the Avride investigation shows how a single incident can slow a city or a partner.
- Competition: a developer that wins on its own can skip the middleman. See how to invest in Waymo and how to invest in Wayve for the other side of these partnerships.
How does UBER look on this site's checks?
From the weekly data of October 23, 2026, on the Uber stock page:
| Measure | UBER | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69.07 | 31% below its 52-week high of $100.35 |
| Market value | $140 billion | Large enough to pass this site's market-cap filter |
| Trailing / forward P/E | 14.6 / 20.5 | Trailing earnings include one-off items, so forward is higher |
| Price to sales / price to book | 2.5 / 5.1 | Both within this site's limits |
| Free cash flow per share | $5.00 | A free-cash-flow yield of about 7.2% |
| Revenue growth / net margin | +16.7% / 17.3% | Trailing twelve months |
| Value filters passed | 5 of 8 | Buffett-style 4 of 8 and Lynch-style 3 of 5 |
| Margin of safety (DCF) | +19.1% | Earnings quality rated Strong |
The price already reflects a profitable ride-hailing and delivery business, so the autonomous partnerships are an option on top of it rather than the whole case. Whether the DCF's growth fade is fair is the main question, and what is margin of safety in investing shows how to read it.
Sources
- TechCrunch: Uber is building an autonomous vehicle empire, and here's every company it's using to do it (August 1, 2026): partners, investments, statuses
- TechCrunch: Uber to put 500 data-collection vehicles on the road this year (June 3, 2026): AV Labs
- Uber Technologies on this site: price, ratios, filters and DCF, October 23, 2026
Most statuses are as of June 2026. This is educational content, not investment advice.
Uber and self-driving cars FAQ
Does Uber have its own self-driving technology?
Not as a product on the road. It sold its self-driving unit to Aurora in 2020 and now works with partners, while its AV Labs unit collects driving data to share with them.
Which self-driving companies work with Uber?
More than 30 by TechCrunch's August 2026 count, including Waymo, Nuro, WeRide, Pony.ai, Baidu, Momenta, Wayve, Avride, Motional, May Mobility, Zoox and Waabi.
Is Waymo leaving Uber?
Waymo ended its Phoenix arrangement with Uber in July 2026 and was reported to be working to get out of its contract, which runs until May 2028. Austin and Atlanta service was live as of the tracker.
Has Uber invested in autonomous vehicle companies?
Yes: reported commitments include Lucid, Rivian (up to $1.25 billion), Nuro (about $500 million), Waabi, Wayve, WeRide and Avride, plus a stake in Aurora.
Is Uber stock a way to invest in robotaxis?
Partly. Uber is spread across many developers, so it is not tied to one winner, but ride-hailing and delivery are still most of its business.