Uber in Talks With Its Founder, Travis Kalanick, to Fund Self-Driving Car Deal

As self-driving taxi services like Waymo become increasingly widespread, Uber is feeling the competitive pressure mount. In response to this growing challenge, the ride-hailing giant is now stepping up its efforts to stay ahead in the race toward autonomous mobility.

According to two individuals familiar with the matter, Uber is currently in early discussions with its former CEO and co-founder, Travis Kalanick. These talks center around a potential investment to support Kalanick’s planned acquisition of the U.S. division of Pony.ai, an autonomous vehicle company originally launched in Silicon Valley in 2016. Although Pony.ai maintains its headquarters in the United States, the bulk of its operations are based in China. The company holds permits for autonomous taxi and freight transport services in both the U.S. and China.

The conversations are still at a very preliminary stage, and those familiar with the discussions have requested anonymity, as they are not authorized to speak publicly about the negotiations. If the deal is finalized, sources suggest that Kalanick would assume control of Pony.ai’s operations. However, it remains uncertain whether Uber itself would take an equity stake or any formal role within the company.

Financial terms surrounding the potential transaction have not been disclosed, but records show that Pony.ai conducted a public offering in the United States last year, successfully raising $260 million. The company currently has a market valuation of approximately $4.5 billion.

If the deal comes to fruition, 48-year-old Kalanick would continue to lead CloudKitchens, the ghost kitchen enterprise he launched after his departure from Uber in 2017. At the same time, the transaction would mark a notable development in his professional relationship with Dara Khosrowshahi, the executive who succeeded him at Uber following his controversial exit.

These developments underscore the mounting pressure Uber faces from autonomous vehicle leaders like Waymo, Google’s self-driving spin-off. Earlier this month, Tesla also entered the scene by launching a limited robotaxi program in Austin, Texas. The increasing presence of driverless vehicle services, particularly in cities such as San Francisco, threatens to erode Uber’s core business of human-operated ride-hailing.

An Uber spokesperson declined to comment specifically on the ongoing negotiations with Kalanick but reiterated the company’s commitment to a platform-based strategy. “We plan to collaborate with multiple autonomous vehicle providers both domestically and internationally, as long as they can bring safe and reliable self-driving technology to market,” the spokesperson said.

Travis Kalanick’s representatives and Pony.ai have not responded to requests for comment at this time.

During his tenure as Uber’s CEO, Kalanick aggressively pursued the development of in-house autonomous vehicle technology. One of the more high-profile moves involved the acquisition of Otto, a self-driving truck start-up founded by former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski. That decision ultimately led to a high-stakes legal conflict: Google filed lawsuits against Levandowski for alleged theft of trade secrets and accused Uber of benefiting from proprietary technology.

Since Khosrowshahi took the helm, Uber has shifted its strategy toward a more collaborative approach. Instead of building its own autonomous vehicle systems, the company has established partnerships with around 18 different firms in the space. Notable collaborations include Wayve, May Mobility, and WeRide, all of which have allowed Uber to explore autonomous services across regions such as Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Khosrowshahi has frequently spoken in interviews and on podcasts about Uber’s vision for integrating as many vehicles—both human-driven and autonomous—into its network as possible. He has acknowledged that although driverless cars are advancing steadily, Uber’s platform will likely feature a hybrid model for the foreseeable future.

Currently, Uber maintains a complex relationship with Waymo, marked by both competition and cooperation. In Phoenix, for example, Uber users can request Waymo vehicles directly through the Uber app. Similarly, Waymo’s autonomous cars sport Uber branding in parts of Austin. However, in markets like San Francisco, Waymo operates independently and only accepts bookings through its own app, creating a clear competitive dynamic.

Uber is also monitoring developments at Tesla, whose CEO Elon Musk has publicly announced plans for a broader rollout of Tesla’s autonomous taxi services. Musk has shown little interest in working with Uber, signaling further competition ahead.

Meanwhile, Kalanick’s interest in robotics appears to have intensified over the past year. Sources say he has introduced robotic systems into CloudKitchens facilities to automate food preparation. These innovations include robotic arms for meal assembly and automated systems for building food bowls tailored for delivery. He has also expressed fascination with street-level delivery robots that bring food directly to customers’ doors.

Pony.ai finds itself in a complicated situation due to regulatory developments in the U.S. In 2019, the Trump administration issued an executive order targeting Chinese technology firms involved in American infrastructure, citing national security risks. This year, the U.S. Department of Commerce introduced new rules that prohibit Chinese entities from operating or maintaining autonomous vehicle software used in the United States. These regulations are set to take effect in March 2026.

In anticipation of these changes, Pony.ai has already begun restructuring its U.S. operations. According to individuals close to the company, its American engineers split—or “forked”—the company’s source code in 2022. Since then, all autonomous driving software used within the U.S. has been developed domestically, separate from the systems used in China. Pony has reportedly been preparing for either the sale or spinoff of its U.S. division.

In addition to seeking funding from Uber, Kalanick is also working with other potential investors to assemble financing for the acquisition.

Kalanick’s leadership style during his time at Uber was often described as combative, marked by frequent clashes with regulators and other tech leaders. Nevertheless, this aggressive approach was instrumental in propelling Uber to the forefront of the ride-hailing industry, dramatically disrupting traditional taxi services around the world.

Since his resignation in 2017, Kalanick has largely remained out of the public spotlight, focusing on growing CloudKitchens and quietly investing in a range of emerging tech ventures. However, in the past year, he has made a few notable appearances, including a guest spot at the “All-In” podcast conference in Los Angeles last September and an appearance at inauguration events in Washington in January.

Recently, it appears that the frosty relationship between Kalanick and Khosrowshahi has begun to thaw. Sources indicate that the two men have resumed regular conversations over the past year, covering topics such as robotics, delivery services, and the growth of their respective ventures—Uber Eats and CloudKitchens. These dialogues have reportedly fostered a more collaborative tone, setting the stage for potential joint ventures like the Pony.ai deal currently under discussion.

If completed, this move would signal not only Kalanick’s reemergence into the high-stakes world of autonomous vehicles but also a significant evolution in Uber’s strategy to adapt to the rapidly transforming landscape of transportation. As robotaxis begin to reshape how people move through cities, Uber is betting that a blend of partnerships, technological investments, and reconciled leadership could help the company secure its future.