Waymo and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi Discuss Competition with Tesla in Autonomous Vehicle Market

Waymo and Uber's Strategic Position

In a recent appearance on the tech podcast Hard Fork, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi shared insights into the autonomous vehicle industry, particularly regarding Waymo and Tesla. Khosrowshahi was asked about Uber's stance on Tesla as a competitor, especially after their recent We, Robot event. He replied, ‘Well, they certainly could be, right? If they develop their own AV vehicle and decide to go direct only through the Tesla app, they would be a competitor.’

Partnership Possibilities with Tesla

In addition to discussing competition, Khosrowshahi expressed that Uber is open to collaborating with Tesla. He stated, ‘If they decide to work with us, then we would be a partner as well.’ This reflects Uber's strategy to foster alliances within the industry rather than engage in a cutthroat competitive approach.

Waymo: Uber's Trusted Partner

Khosrowshahi further elaborated that Uber is betting on Waymo as its primary autonomous vehicle partner, reinforcing the idea that the future of ride-hailing services lies in collaboration. This partnership was solidified when Uber joined forces with Waymo in 2023 to introduce autonomous ride-hailing services to Phoenix customers.