Uber Reportedly in Talks With Travis Kalanick on New Self-Driving Deal
In a surprising twist, Uber is reportedly in early talks with former CEO Travis Kalanick to help fund his acquisition of the U.S. division of self-driving startup Pony.ai. If completed, the deal would mark Kalanick’s return to the autonomous vehicle space—and put him back in closer proximity to the company he once led. Sources say Kalanick would oversee Pony’s U.S. operations while continuing to run his food-tech venture, CloudKitchens.
The potential partnership comes as Uber faces growing pressure from autonomous driving competitors like Waymo and Tesla. While Uber has been adding robotaxi partners globally, Waymo has already made big strides in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco, offering ride-hailing services that bypass Uber’s platform altogether. Teaming up with Kalanick—despite his controversial exit in 2017—could give Uber a new edge in this intensifying race.
For Kalanick, the deal would be a full-circle moment. During his time as Uber’s CEO, he pushed aggressively into autonomous tech before legal battles with Google derailed the company’s efforts. Now, with Pony’s U.S. operations reportedly spun off from its Chinese parent to meet U.S. regulations, he may be positioned to jump back into the game—this time with Uber potentially at his side instead of in opposition.
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