One of the reasons behind this decision could be the fact that Uber is facing fierce competition in the self-driving car space from companies like Tesla and Waymo, with Waymo’s self-driving cars anticipated to hit the road this year. In addition to Waymo and Tesla, several other car companies are making significant investments in autonomous vehicles. Self-driving cars are expected to change the face of the ride-sharing industry while helping in reducing costs.
Uber is facing fierce competition in the self-driving car space from companies like Tesla and Waymo
Uber’s self-driving car plans have already hit several roadblocks, the worst one being the fatal accident involving a pedestrian in Arizona, which led to Uber being denied permission to test in the state. Following the incident, Uber had to suspend all its self-driving programs, which resumed only recently. Uber also had to face a lawsuit from Waymo on grounds of proprietary technology theft, which the cab company managed to settle quickly.
In the world of self-driving technology, trucks are believed to have good opportunities as it is easy to travel on remote highways than populated roads within towns and cities. There is a chance that Uber might return to this space anytime in the future.