The future of transportation is taking shape, and at the center of it is the race to develop fully autonomous vehicles. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi recently shared his thoughts on Tesla’s ambitious plans for robotaxis, painting a picture of potential rivalry and collaboration.
In an interview on the Hard Fork podcast, Khosrowshahi acknowledged the possibility of Tesla becoming a direct competitor to Uber. If Tesla successfully builds its own autonomous vehicles and creates a dedicated app for rides, it could effectively compete with Uber’s existing platform. However, Khosrowshahi also sees the potential for partnership. “I think Elon’s vision is pretty compelling…,” he said, referring to Elon Musk’s robotaxi aspirations. Uber could potentially collaborate with Tesla, leveraging their technology and fleet to expand its own autonomous offerings.
While Khosrowshahi believes both Tesla and Waymo will eventually achieve full autonomy, he has a slight preference for Waymo’s approach in the near term. Waymo’s technology focuses on reducing the burden on software by incorporating additional hardware like lidar and sensors. Tesla, on the other hand, places a heavier emphasis on software development. “I think Elon eventually will get to viable scale but for the next 5 years I bet on Waymo,” Khosrowshahi said. However, he added that Tesla’s full self-driving (FSD) technology is showing significant progress, and he wouldn’t bet against Musk’s ability to achieve the seemingly impossible.
Tesla’s plans for robotaxis include a dedicated two-seater vehicle called the Cybercab and a 20-seater Robovan, both lacking traditional controls. The company aims to launch autonomous driving services using Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in Texas and California next year, with the Cybercab joining the fleet by 2026 or earlier. Musk envisions a robotaxi fleet that operates like a hybrid of Airbnb and Uber, with both Tesla-owned vehicles and those owned by individual customers contributing to the network. Riders would summon vehicles through the Tesla app, directly challenging Uber’s business model.
Khosrowshahi has previously voiced concerns about the feasibility of Tesla’s robotaxi plans. He questions whether car owners would be willing to let strangers use their vehicles, especially during peak demand times. He also highlights the logistical challenges of running a taxi service, including matching riders with vehicles, pricing rides efficiently, and addressing issues like passenger illness, lost items, and accidents. Despite these concerns, he remains open to potential partnership opportunities.
The future of autonomous vehicles is still unfolding, and the potential for collaboration and competition between companies like Tesla and Uber remains a key storyline. Only time will tell how these ambitious plans will shape the way we travel in the years to come.