According to a report by the Financial Times, the company has earmarked more than $10 billion to acquire thousands of self-driving vehicles while also investing directly in companies developing the technology. This marks a notable departure from its long-standing asset-light model, which has historically relied on independent drivers rather than owning fleets.
Although the figures could not be independently verified at the time of reporting, the move signals a clear effort by Uber to avoid being sidelined as autonomous driving technology edges closer to mainstream adoption.
Rather than building a single, in-house system, Uber is positioning itself as a marketplace platform for multiple robotaxi providers. The company has already forged partnerships across the autonomous vehicle ecosystem, including collaborations with Baidu, Rivian, and Lucid. Together, these alliances form part of a broader plan to roll out robotaxi services in at least 28 cities by 2028.
Estimates cited in the report suggest Uber could invest upwards of $2.5 billion in equity stakes while allocating more than $7.5 billion toward building out robotaxi fleets over the coming years. However, many of these agreements are structured around performance benchmarks, meaning funding and expansion depend on partners meeting key deployment milestones.
The renewed momentum around driverless technology comes after years of delays and unmet expectations. Advances in artificial intelligence, combined with deeper industry collaborations, are now fueling optimism that challenges such as navigating complex traffic environments and reducing operational costs may soon be overcome.
If successful, Uber’s multi-billion-dollar gamble could redefine not only its own business model but also the broader future of urban mobility.