Uber is constructing an autonomous automobile empire, and here is each firm it is utilizing to do it

Uber has partnered with — and in some circumstances made direct investments in — greater than 30 autonomous automobile corporations over the previous two years. And it’s taking a worldwide method.

Right here, TechCrunch tracks each a type of strikes in a single place. However first, a little bit of historical past. 

Uber was, at one time, growing and testing its personal autonomous automobile (AV) expertise. The corporate, then led by Travis Kalanick, created Uber Superior Applied sciences Group (ATG) in 2014 and recruited dozens of researchers from Carnegie Mellon College’s robotics program. 

Two years later, Uber acquired Otto, a self-driving truck firm based by former Google self-driving engineer Anthony Levandowski, Lior Ron, Don Burnette (who has since gone on to discovered Kodiak AI), and Claire Delaunay. Uber additionally started testing its AVs on public streets in 2016 throughout California, Pittsburgh, and Arizona. 

All of that progress unraveled throughout three defining moments: Waymo’s commerce secrets and techniques lawsuit in opposition to Uber, the resignation of Kalanick in 2017, and a deadly crash in Tempe, Arizona, in 2018 involving its self-driving Volvo XC90, which struck and killed a pedestrian. (The automobile was in autonomous mode, and a human security operator behind the wheel on the time wasn’t paying consideration.) Uber suspended its testing and reorganized this system, though it by no means really returned to its mission.

After Dara Khosrowshahi took the wheel at Uber, the corporate went by way of a reset. 

In 2020, Uber walked away from all of its moonshots, together with autonomous automobiles, to deal with its core companies of ride-hailing and supply utilizing human-driven automobiles. Uber bought Uber ATG to Aurora, Bounce to Lime, and Elevate to Joby Aviation. It didn’t fully divest, although. Uber stored fairness stakes in all of them.

Simply two years later, Uber crept again in and began making AV offers. The deal circulate picked up in earnest in 2024. Beneath is the total listing, which TechCrunch will preserve up to date as Uber makes new strikes.

Aurora

Uber has been related with Aurora since 2020 when, as talked about above, it bought its Uber ATG unit to the corporate. Uber acquired fairness in Aurora as a part of that deal and nonetheless owns that stake. As of this previous April, Uber, by way of its holding firm Neben Holdings, owns 325.97 million Aurora Class A shares, representing a 19.7% Class A fairness stake and 6.9% voting energy, in accordance with SEC filings. 

Uber Freight, the logistics enterprise spun out of Uber in 2018, introduced in June 2024 a multi-year collaboration with Aurora that expanded upon an current pilot program. In Might 2025, the businesses stated Aurora’s self-driving vans had been finishing roundtrip hauls between Dallas and Houston through the Uber Freight platform. 

Autobrains

In June 2026, the businesses introduced plans to launch a robotaxi program in Munich, pending regulatory approval. The partnership lacks some particulars, akin to what automobile will likely be used. The businesses pitched this as an OEM-agnostic mannequin. Automobiles will likely be outfitted with Israel-based Autobrains’ agentic AI driving system, which runs on Nvidia’s Drive Hyperion platform. The robotaxis will likely be out there through Uber’s app. 

Avomo

Avomo, a European firm that was beforehand generally known as Moove Automobiles, is an autonomous fleet operator companion. Uber really took a 30% stake in Avomo in 2021. 

And whereas Avomo won’t have the identical identify recognition as different gamers, it’s embedded in Uber’s AV enterprise. As an example, it’s the firm liable for managing fleet companies akin to automobile cleansing, upkeep, inspections, charging, and depot operations for the Waymo-Uber partnership in Austin. Avomo additionally handles fleet operations for Uber as a part of its robotaxi service settlement with WeRide in Madrid, which was introduced in June 2026. 

Essential observe: don’t mistake Avomo (previously Moove Automobiles), for Moove, an African firm that manages Waymo’s AV fleet in Phoenix.

Avride

Avride, the Yandex spinout now beneath guardian firm Nebius Group, introduced a multi-year deal with Uber in October 2024 to deliver Avride’s sidewalk supply robots and autonomous automobiles to each Uber’s supply unit, Uber Eats, and Uber’s ride-hailing app. 

In February 2025, Uber shared in its fourth-quarter earnings that Uber Eats orders in Austin and Dallas had been being delivered through autonomous sidewalk robots in partnership with Avride. Avride disclosed in fall 2025 that it had secured strategic investments and business commitments value $375 million from Uber and Nebius. Neither firm supplied particulars on the funding and the way a lot was capital. 

By the tip of 2025, Avride robotaxis — constructed on Hyundai IONIQ 5s outfitted with Avride’s self-driving system — had been out there on the Uber app in Dallas. The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration opened an investigation into Avride in Might 2026 after figuring out greater than a dozen crashes and one minor harm.

As of this previous June, these weren’t driverless and nonetheless had a human security operator behind the wheel. 

Baidu

Uber introduced a multi-year strategic partnership with the Chinese language tech big in July 2025. Below the settlement, hundreds of Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous automobiles will likely be deployed on the Uber platform in a number of markets exterior the U.S. and mainland China. These deployments had been set to begin in Asia and the Center East later in 2025, the businesses stated on the time.

In late 2025, Baidu stated it could begin testing Apollo Go robotaxis in London within the first half of 2026 by way of its partnership with Uber. As of June, these checks had not begun. 

Cartken 

The sidewalk supply robotic firm began working with Uber in 2022, saying a partnership to ship meals in Miami, with plans so as to add extra cities in 2023. The 2 corporations expanded to business deliveries in Fairfax, Virginia that very same yr and, in February 2025, introduced that they had been delivering meals in Osaka, Japan, utilizing Cartken robots.

Cartken shifted its focus to industrial robots by summer season 2025. The corporate stated it could keep its meals and shopper last-mile supply enterprise, however had no plans to develop it. 

Coco

In 2024, the 2 corporations introduced a partnership to make use of Coco’s sidewalk robots to ship meals for Uber Eats clients, beginning in Los Angeles. The partnership expanded to neighborhoods in Miami in April 2025.

Cruise

Uber and GM’s Cruise introduced a strategic partnership in August 2024 to deliver Cruise’s robotaxis onto the Uber app in 2025. That announcement was notable for Cruise, which had gone by way of a serious overhaul, together with layoffs and the resignation of its co-founders after considered one of its robotaxis struck a pedestrian in October 2023.

The Cruise reboot by no means obtained off the bottom; in December 2024, citing excessive prices and mounting competitors, GM pulled the plug on Cruise’s robotaxi enterprise completely and folded the unit into its broader engineering operations.

The partnership now not exists as a result of — welp — Cruise itself doesn’t, a minimum of not as a robotaxi firm. However at one time, the 2 corporations had struck a deal.

Flytrex

Uber introduced in September 2025 a partnership with drone supply firm Flytrex. The partnership additionally included a small funding in Flytrex, though the quantity was not disclosed.

Hertz 

Hertz isn’t growing autonomous automobile tech, but it surely’s nonetheless value together with the rental automotive firm right here. In April of this yr, Uber shaped strategic fleet partnerships with Hertz and its affiliated working firm Oro Mobility. 

This deal is a part of Uber’s plans to launch a premium robotaxi service utilizing Lucid automobiles outfitted with Nuro’s self-driving system. Hertz has been tasked with day-to-day fleet administration, together with charging, upkeep, repairs, cleansing, and depot staffing. 

Lucid

Uber has put actual cash behind EV maker Lucid Motors. Uber introduced plans in 2025 to launch a premium robotaxi service utilizing robotaxi-ready automobiles from Lucid. Initially, Uber stated it could make investments $300 million into Lucid and individually purchase a minimum of 20,000 of its Lucid Gravity SUVs over six years. The automobiles will likely be outfitted with Nuro’s self-driving system. 

In April, Uber upped its order and funding. Lucid acquired one other $200 million from Uber, which additionally elevated its minimal order to 35,000 automobiles. The order contains Lucid’s upcoming mid-sized platform. Uber now owns greater than 11% of Lucid as a part of investments it has made alongside the automobile orders.

Might Mobility 

The Michigan-based autonomous automobile startup reached an settlement with Uber in Might 2025 to deploy its AVs by way of the app by the tip of that yr, beginning in Arlington, Texas.

Uber and Might Mobility introduced plans on the time to develop to different U.S. markets in 2026 and “deploy hundreds of AVs” over “the following few years,” in accordance with the startup.

As of June, Arlington, Texas, stays the one market the place clients utilizing the Uber app can hail a Might Mobility automobile. 

Mercedes

In January of this yr, Mercedes-Benz introduced it was collaborating with Nvidia to create a robotaxi ecosystem utilizing self-driving S-Class sedans that may be on the Uber ride-hailing platform. No particular cities have been introduced.

Momenta 

The Chinese language autonomous driving tech firm reached an settlement with Uber in Might 2025 so as to add its robotaxis to the app, beginning in Europe in early 2026, with security operators on board.

A couple of months later in September 2025, the Beijing-based firm and Uber stated they might begin testing robotaxis in Munich, Germany in 2026. 

Motional 

Motional, a subsidiary of Hyundai, has been working with Uber in some kind since 2021 when the businesses introduced plans to launch autonomous deliveries in Santa Monica. This was thought-about a pilot and by no means grew to become a business program or used absolutely driverless automobiles. 

The businesses expanded the partnership in October 2022 with a 10-year working settlement that may finally roll out to main cities throughout North America; Las Vegas and Los Angeles had been among the many first named cities. Whereas Motional and Uber stay companions, a business driverless service (which means no human security operator behind the wheel) has but to materialize. 

Motional went by way of a reboot in 2024, taking a brand new AI-centric method to its self-driving system. In March 2026, Motional’s self-driving Hyundai Ioniq 5 automobiles had been added to the Uber app in Las Vegas for autonomous rides to and from 5 areas of the town. Human security screens are nonetheless using alongside

New Horizon

New Horizon is a fleet administration firm concerned in Uber’s settlement with Baidu to deliver the Chinese language firm’s Apollo Go autonomous ride-hailing service to Dubai.

Nissan

Nissan is a part of Uber’s partnership settlement with Wayve. In March of this yr, Uber introduced plans so as to add self-driving Nissan Leaf EVs to its community in Tokyo, powered by Wayve’s tech. (See the Wayve entry under for extra.)

Nuro

The self-driving tech startup has been tied to Uber since a minimum of 2022, however the relationship has modified. Initially, Nuro was growing a custom-built supply automobile designed for the roadway. Uber and Nuro introduced a 10-year partnership in 2022 to launch autonomous deliveries in Mountain View, California, and Houston beginning that fall. 

Nuro pivoted away from the supply automobile and determined to deal with licensing its self-driving tech to automakers and robotaxi operators. Uber caught with Nuro and in 2025 introduced a landmark deal to launch a premium robotaxi service utilizing Lucid Gravity SUVs outfitted with the startup’s self-driving system. 

San Francisco would be the first market. In June of this yr, the businesses introduced the second market will likely be Houston. Uber has additionally invested in Nuro. Sources conversant in the monetary phrases have advised TechCrunch that Uber’s complete dedication to Nuro, which incorporates its participation within the startup’s Collection E spherical in 2025 and future milestone-based investments, is about $500 million.

Nvidia

Uber first publicly talked about Nvidia in January 2018, a special period for each corporations. Uber picked Nvidia to offer AI computing for its autonomous software program. With Uber’s in-house AV program bought off in 2020, that deal ended. 

Quick ahead to CES 2025, when Uber stated it could use Nvidia’s generative world mannequin simulation instrument, Cosmos, and cloud-based AI supercomputing platform, DGX Cloud, to assist the event of AV tech. Uber didn’t share many particulars on the time about the way it deliberate to make use of these Nvidia instruments. 

In October 2025, Uber and Nvidia introduced plans to make use of Nvidia’s Hyperion autonomous platform to speed up Uber’s robotaxi program. As a part of that announcement, Stellantis dedicated to delivering a minimum of 5,000 Nvidia Drive-powered automobiles to Uber for robotaxi operations within the U.S. and internationally — one of many first automakers to take action.

In March of this yr, the businesses expanded the partnership and introduced plans to launch a worldwide fleet of completely Nvidia software-driven autonomous automobiles, beginning in Los Angeles and San Francisco within the first half of 2027 and scaling throughout 28 cities globally by 2028. The businesses stated the automobiles will run Nvidia’s Drive Hyperion platform and use Alpamayo, Nvidia’s household of open-source AI fashions, datasets, and simulation instruments designed to deal with advanced driving conditions.  

Pony.ai

The Guangzhou, China-based firm and Uber introduced a partnership in Might 2025 with a watch on the Center East. The businesses deliberate to launch a pilot that yr that may make

Pony.ai’s robotaxis (with a security operator on board) out there on the Uber app.

In March 2026, Uber, Pony.ai, and Croatian firm Verne introduced plans to launch a business robotaxi service in Europe, beginning in Zagreb, Croatia. Pony.ai will provide the autonomous driving system and a robotaxi known as the Arcfox Alpha T5 that was developed with Chinese language automaker BAIC. Verne will personal and function the fleet, and Uber will present its huge ride-hailing community. 

Rivian 

This sudden deal, which was introduced in March 2026, might be value as much as $1.25 billion for Rivian. Below the settlement, Rivian will construct hundreds of robotaxis based mostly on its new R2 SUV and will likely be outfitted with the EV maker’s self-driving system, which remains to be beneath growth. 

Uber made an preliminary $300 million funding in Rivian and is “anticipated to buy 10,000 absolutely autonomous R2 robotaxis” forward of a deliberate rollout in San Francisco and Miami in 2028. The 2 corporations stated on the time they plan to launch the robotaxis in “25 cities within the U.S., Canada, and Europe by the tip of 2031.” The fleet will likely be solely out there on Uber’s community.

Serve Robotics

The sidewalk supply robotic startup is rooted in Uber, kind of. In 2020, Uber acquired on-demand supply startup Postmates. The next yr, the robotics division generally known as Postmates X spun out as an impartial firm known as Serve Robotics.

Uber additionally invested in Serve, which went public in 2024 by way of a merger with a blank-check firm.  

Uber Eats has used Serve Robotics’ robots for a couple of years in america. 

Starship Applied sciences

Sidewalk supply robotic firm Starship Applied sciences struck a deal with Uber’s supply unit Eats in November 2025. Below the deal, Starship robots will ship meals orders through the Uber Eats app in a number of European international locations in 2026 and finally develop to the U.S. in 2027.

Stellantis

The automaker introduced in June 2026 a cope with self-driving startup Wayve, and Uber to collectively develop and deploy driverless robotaxis. Stellantis and Wayve, which Uber has invested in, had been already working collectively. This deal brings all the elements collectively: automaker, self-driving tech, and ride-hailing community.

The businesses have agreed to work collectively on automobile integration, testing, and validation earlier than Stellantis-made automobiles outfitted with Wayve’s tech are deployed in the actual world, and particularly throughout Europe and North America.

Tawasul

The UAE-based Tawasul is one other operator andpartnered with Uber in 2024 to offer fleet administration companies for Uber’s WeRide robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi. 

Torc Robotics

Uber Freight, the logistics firm that spun out of Uber in 2018, introduced a partnership in late December with Torc Robotics, a self-driving vans firm that was acquired by Daimler in 2019. The partnership has largely centered on information.

Torc has used Uber Freight to investigate quantity patterns, shippers’ networks, and different information that may assist it establish the best lanes and best suited business purposes for autonomous trucking deployment.

Verne 

Uber’s relationship with Verne is fairly contemporary. The corporate, shaped by Rimac Group founder Mate Rimac, reached an settlement in March 2026 to launch a business robotaxi service in Europe, beginning in Zagreb, Croatia. Pony.ai, the third companion, is supplying the self-driving system. Verne will personal and function the fleet of automobiles made by Chinese language automaker BAIC.

Uber additionally deliberate to put money into Verne, though the phrases haven’t been disclosed. 

Volkswagen/MOIA

Volkswagen’s subsidiary MOIA America and Uber introduced plans in 2025 to launch a business robotaxi service utilizing autonomous variations of Volkswagen’s electrical ID. Buzz minivan. The businesses stated robotaxis will launch in a number of U.S. cities over the following decade. Los Angeles is the primary metropolis.

The businesses, which have arrange a joint facility in Los Angeles for day-to-day fleet operations, stated in April 2026 {that a} robotaxi service would launch later within the yr, with a human security operator on board. Driverless operations are anticipated to start in 2027.

Volvo Autonomous Options

Uber Freight, which connects corporations that have to ship items with truck drivers and fleet carriers, first partnered with Volvo Autonomous Options in 2023. Two years later, the businesses stated the partnership was transferring “out of the strategy planning stage and delivering tangible outcomes.”

Volvo’s VNL Autonomous truck, which was constructed with redundancies to assist self-driving tech developed by Aurora Innovation, started delivering masses for Uber Freight clients between Dallas and Houston. These routes have since expanded.

Waabi

The Uber and Waabi relationship can also be a deep minimize. The founder and CEO, Raquel Urtasun, beforehand labored at Uber as chief scientist at its autonomous automobile division, Uber ATG, which Uber bought to self-driving trucking agency Aurora Innovation in 2020.

Urtasun based Waabi in 2021 with an preliminary deal with self-driving vans. Uber was among the many buyers that participated in its $83.5 million Collection A spherical. Waabi and Uber obtained rather a lot nearer in 2026. In January, Waabi raised $1 billion — $750 million in a Collection C spherical and about$250 million in milestone-based capital from Uber to assist the deployment of robotaxis outfitted with Waabi’s self-driving system. 

Waymo

The Alphabet-owned firm first partnered with Uber in Might 2023, when it agreed to deliver a few of its robotaxis on the Uber platform, beginning in Phoenix. The connection in Phoenix is proscribed since Waymo clients can even straight hail a robotaxi utilizing the corporate’s personal app.

The next yr, the businesses introduced an growth to Austin and Atlanta, though this time the Waymo robotaxis may solely be accessed through the Uber app. The Austin service launched in March 2025, adopted by Atlanta by June 2025. 

The connection has not expanded since; it has really shrunk. The businesses ended their Phoenix partnership in final month, in July. Waymo is now working to get out of its contract with Uber, which doesn’t finish till Might 2028.

Wayve

The buzzy UK self-driving startup has each partnered with and acquired capital from Uber. In February 2026, Wayve raised $1.2 billion in a spherical that included returning backers Microsoft, Nvidia, and Uber. The entire elevate may attain $1.5 billion thanks to a different $300 million from Uber contingent on deploying robotaxis, starting in London.

In March 2026, Uber introduced plans so as to add self-driving Nissan Leaf EVs to its community in Tokyo, powered by Wayve’s tech. A pilot has been scheduled for late 2026. Below the deal, Wayve will combine its AI-powered, self-driving software program right into a Nissan Leaf, which will likely be out there on Uber’s ride-hail community in Japan.

WeRide  

The Chinese language robotaxi firm is considered one of Uber’s extra prolific companions. It publicly disclosed the partnership in September 2024 and shared plans to deliver WeRide robotaxis to the Uber platform, beginning in Abu Dhabi. The service launched in December 2024 with human security operators and went driverless in November 2025. WeRide robotaxis launched on the Uber app in Dubai in late 2025. 

Uber expanded the partnership to deliver WeRide’s AVs to fifteen extra cities by 2030, together with in Europe. In these cities, WeRide’s robotaxis will likely be out there by way of the Uber app, and Uber will likely be liable for fleet operations. As a part of the growth, Uber elevated its funding into WeRide by $100 million. Uber has since revealed a few of these cities, together with Madrid and Zurich.

In February 2026, the partnership expanded once more with the businesses agreeing to deploy a minimum of 1,200 robotaxis throughout the Center East. The deployment, which is able to span Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is anticipated to be accomplished as quickly as 2027.

Zoox

The Amazon-owned firm is an Uber latecomer. The businesses introduced a strategic partnership in March 2026 to deploy Zoox robotaxis on the Uber app in Las Vegas this yr and in Los Angeles in 2027.