Uber unveils new services as it prepares to bring robotaxis to L.A. soon

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Uber announced a new set of services to support ride-hailing for autonomous vehicles ahead of its planned launch of robotaxis in Los Angeles in the coming months.Uber’s new program, called Uber Autonomous Solutions, aims to give robotaxi ventures easy access to Uber’s customers, software and infrastructure.

Participating companies would get access to Uber’s platform, one of the most widely used ride-hailing apps in the world, as well as unique data Uber has collected from busy streets and pickup areas.“When partners plug into Uber’s network, they can scale more efficiently, operate more reliably, and move faster,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of autonomous mobility and delivery.Under a partnership with Volkswagen announced last year, Uber plans to offer a self-driving taxi network for shared rides that shuttle multiple passengers.It said that it plans to launch the service in Los Angeles early this year, and testing has begun.

The company said that the ride-hailing service will use an autonomous electric minivan from Volkswagen called the ID.Buzz.

The effort will rely on autonomous technology from the Volkswagen-owned tech brand MOIA.The Volkswagen-Uber partnership could be one of many — Uber’s announcement this week outlined a range of tools and software it’s offering to companies looking to scale autonomous vehicle operations.

Business While self-driving taxis are already a reality in a few cities, three companies are racing to roll out the service on a larger scale.“Uber has pulled together a whole bunch of tools that will make it easier for robotaxi developers or robotaxi vehicle owners to bring their vehicles to the Uber platform,” said auto analyst Sam Abuelsamid.“Most of them don’t really want to be in the business of owning and operating the vehicles.”Uber isn’t new to the autonomous vehicle space.

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