What Happened to Uber's Self-Driving Car Program (Advanced Technologies Group - ATG)?

Uber embarked on its self-driving car journey in 2015 with the establishment of its Advanced Technologies Group (ATG), aiming to revolutionize ride-hailing by removing the cost of human drivers. The program quickly grew, deploying test vehicles in Pittsburgh and other cities. However, this ambitious pursuit was marred by controversy and significant setbacks. A high-profile lawsuit with Waymo over alleged trade secret theft and substantial financial losses plagued the division.

The most critical turning point occurred in March 2018 when an Uber self-driving test vehicle operating in autonomous mode struck and killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona, marking the first recorded fatality involving a fully autonomous car. This incident led to the suspension of Uber's testing operations, intense scrutiny from regulators, and a significant blow to public trust in autonomous vehicle technology. The backup driver in the vehicle was later charged with negligent homicide and pleaded guilty to endangerment in July 2023.

Facing mounting costs, regulatory pressure, and a desire to achieve profitability, Uber made a strategic decision to divest its self-driving unit. In December 2020, Uber sold ATG to Aurora Innovation, a startup founded by former leaders of Google's self-driving project and Tesla Autopilot. As part of the deal, Uber invested $400 million into Aurora, gaining an approximately 26% ownership stake, and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi joined Aurora's board. This move effectively ended Uber's direct development of self-driving hardware and software, shifting its strategy to become a platform for third-party autonomous vehicle technology.

Since the acquisition, Aurora has focused primarily on autonomous trucking, making significant strides. By January 2026, Aurora's driverless system had surpassed 250,000 driverless miles on public roads with a perfect safety record. The company has expanded its driverless network to 10 routes, including a 1,000-mile lane between Fort Worth and Phoenix, and plans to have over 200 driverless trucks in operation by the end of 2026. Aurora is also preparing to launch its second-generation hardware in Q2 2026, enabling operations without a human safety driver.

In a significant development on April 15, 2026, Uber announced a major strategic pivot, committing over $10 billion to acquire thousands of autonomous vehicles and invest in various robotaxi developers. This new strategy aims to secure Uber's position in the future of autonomous mobility by integrating third-party robotaxi services onto its platform, with plans to launch in at least 28 cities by 2028. Uber is forming partnerships with companies like Waymo, Motional, WeRide, Pony.ai, Lucid, Rivian, and Volkswagen to achieve this goal, signaling a hybrid approach where Uber acts as a marketplace for diverse autonomous solutions.