Uber recently announced a new partnership with Chinese self-driving firm Momenta, adding to its list of autonomous vehicle collaborators. This move comes as Uber continues to expand its reach in the ride-hail and delivery market, relying on partners to provide the self-driving technology it does not develop in-house.
Expanding Autonomous Driving Globally
Momenta’s CEO, Xudong Cao, believes that this partnership will help complete the ecosystem necessary to scale autonomous driving globally. Uber plans to introduce Momenta’s robotaxis to its app in Europe by early 2026, with safety operators on board.
Competition in the Autonomous Vehicle Market
With Tesla gearing up to launch its own robotaxi service in Austin this summer, Uber is facing potential competition in the autonomous vehicle market. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has promised that all Tesla vehicles will eventually become fully self-driving with a simple software update, posing a threat to companies like Uber that rely on external partners for self-driving technology.
Overall, Uber’s strategic partnerships and collaborations demonstrate its commitment to staying ahead in the rapidly evolving autonomous vehicle industry, even after selling its self-driving unit to Aurora Innovation in 2020.
