Uber plans to commit more than $10 billion to autonomous vehicles over the coming years. Its partners have committed about 120,000 vehicles to the Uber network during that period.
The company currently offers autonomous rides in seven cities. It expects that number to reach as many as 15 by year-end. However, Uber’s expansion does not set a deadline for removing human drivers from its platform.
Uber disclosed the investment plan in its second-quarter 2026 prepared remarks. The spending covers equity investments, infrastructure and agreements to buy or use autonomous vehicles. Uber will also consider outside investors to help finance future deployments.
Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi said, “Our ambition is clear: to become the world’s leading commercialization platform for autonomous mobility.” Uber plans to connect vehicle developers with riders through its app. It does not intend to develop every self-driving system internally.
The program will combine Uber’s capital with vehicles from technology partners. This approach follows Uber’s 2020 sale of its autonomous-driving unit to Aurora.
Since then, Uber has signed agreements with several developers and vehicle makers. Its current partners include Waymo, Nuro, Lucid, Rivian, Wayve, WeRide and Zoox.
Uber reported $2.8 billion in second-quarter free cash flow. Free cash flow for the previous 12 months exceeded $10 billion for the first time. Gross bookings rose 24% from a year earlier to $58 billion, while revenue reached $14.2 billion.
Human drivers and couriers still form the core of Uber’s service network. A record 10.2 million drivers and couriers earned more than $25 billion during the second quarter.
Robotaxis currently account for less than 0.5% of Uber’s total rides, Khosrowshahi said during the company’s earnings call. Most autonomous services also operate within defined areas. Each city requires local testing, operating support and regulatory approval.
Uber has started reducing driver recruitment in some cities where autonomous rides operate. Khosrowshahi said the company wants established drivers in those markets to maintain their earnings. Uber has not announced plans to remove existing drivers.
The longer-term position is less certain. Khosrowshahi said in February that robots could handle most Uber trips within 15 to 20 years. He also said driver and courier numbers should keep rising for several years.
Automation will not reach every route at the same pace. Construction zones, severe weather and unusual traffic conditions can restrict autonomous systems. Human drivers can serve trips outside approved zones and markets without commercial robotaxi rules.
Large robotaxi networks require more than self-driving software. Uber lists dispatch, vehicle integration, fleet operations, charging, financing and insurance among the services needed for commercial operations. Regulators and local communities also take part in each launch.
Those requirements create work in fleet maintenance, charging, cleaning, customer support and remote assistance. However, Uber has not provided hiring forecasts for these roles. It has also not said how many driving positions its planned fleet may replace.
The company’s partner commitments cover different schedules and markets. For example, Uber’s Lucid and Nuro agreement covers at least 20,000 vehicles over six years. The broader 120,000-vehicle commitment has no single six-year deadline.
For now, Uber is adding robotaxis alongside human-driven rides. The speed of that change will depend on vehicle supply, safety approvals and local operating rules. Driver demand will also vary by city as autonomous services expand within selected zones.
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