Uber under pressure to prove its driverless strategy has real upside

Core Insights - Uber's shares are declining due to a lower than expected EBITDA outlook, increasing pressure to demonstrate the potential of its driverless strategy [1][2] Company Developments - Uber's autonomous vehicle (AV) offerings are currently operational in four cities, with plans to expand to ten by the end of next year [2] - The cities of Austin and Atlanta, powered by Whimo, are experiencing growth rates twice as fast as other U.S. markets, with Whimo's vehicles outperforming 99% of human drivers [3] - Uber claims that its driverless options are not cannibalizing the business of human drivers, who are earning more than the national average [3] Partnerships and Collaborations - Uber has not signed a new deal with Whimo recently, leading the company to diversify its partnerships beyond a single autonomy partner [4] - Collaborations with Lucid and Nuro are underway to roll out robo taxis, and a partnership with BYU aims to launch driverless rides in Asia and the Middle East [4][5] - BYU is now matching Whimo in weekly robo taxi volume, indicating rapid growth in the global market [5] Technological Advancements - Uber is piloting fully autonomous services in the UK in collaboration with AI startup Wave [6] - The company aims to build its own fleet of 100,000 Nvidia-powered AVs, focusing on making self-driving cars cost-effective at scale [6]