# Uber Leads AV Race with Waabi Robotaxi Pact
Uber is accelerating its dominance in the autonomous vehicle (AV) race through a landmark partnership with Toronto-based startup Waabi, aiming to deploy at least 25,000 robotaxis powered by Waabi's cutting-edge AI on its platform.[1][2][3] This exclusive deal, backed by Waabi's $1 billion funding raise, signals a bold expansion from autonomous trucking into urban ride-hailing, positioning Uber ahead of rivals like Waymo and Tesla in the robotaxi market.[4][5]
Waabi's Massive $1 Billion Funding and Strategic Shift to Robotaxis
Waabi, founded in 2021 by former Uber AV executive Raquel Urtasun, has secured approximately $1 billion in new capital, comprising a $750 million oversubscribed Series C round co-led by Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners, plus $250 million in milestone-based investment from Uber.[1][2][3][4] This funding values Waabi at unicorn status and fuels its pivot from autonomous trucking—where it partners with Volvo—to robotaxis, leveraging the same Physical AI Platform for both.[1][5][7]
Urtasun emphasized that Waabi's AI generalizes across vehicle types, highways, and urban streets without retraining, enabling rapid scalability.[1][2][4] The company claims industry-leading progress in trucking commercialization via a direct-to-customer model, now extending to robotaxis exclusively on Uber's network.[3][6]
Uber's Aggressive Robotaxi Partnerships Cement AV Leadership
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi hailed the Waabi tie-up as a key milestone, deepening a relationship that began with Waabi's Series A and includes a board seat for Uber.[1][2] This follows recent deals like a collaboration with Nuro and Lucid Motors for 20,000 robotaxis launching this year, plus partnerships with Wayve in London and Baidu internationally.[1][5]
By partnering with over 20 AV firms instead of building in-house tech—after shuttering its own program—Uber integrates autonomous fleets alongside human drivers, safeguarding its ride-hailing empire against disruptors.[5] The Waabi pact targets 25,000+ robotaxis, though vehicle specifics and timelines remain undisclosed, with Urtasun promising deployment "much faster than anybody can think."[1][3][8]
Waabi's AI Edge: Why It Could Outpace Waymo and Tesla in Autonomy
Waabi's Physical AI—a shared "brain" for trucks and robotaxis—sets it apart, avoiding the pitfalls that doomed others like Waymo's freight unit.[4][5] Urtasun, who led Uber's AV lab, insists the tech is deployment-ready, with trucking validation underway and robotaxi rollout imminent.[1][4] This capital-efficient approach promises safer, sustainable mobility at scale.[2][6]
For Uber, the strategy amplifies its platform's demand network and fleet management, potentially deploying tens of thousands of AVs globally amid fierce competition.[3][5]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Waabi-Uber partnership about? Waabi will exclusively deploy at least 25,000 robotaxis powered by its Waabi Driver AI on Uber's platform, supported by Uber's milestone-based $250 million investment.[1][2][3][6]
How much funding did Waabi raise, and who led it? Waabi raised $1 billion total: $750 million in a Series C round co-led by Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners, plus Uber's contribution, reaching unicorn valuation.[1][2][3][4]
What is Waabi's Physical AI Platform? It's a generalizable AI system that powers both autonomous trucks and robotaxis across highways and urban streets using the same models, enabling fast expansion without pivots.[1][2][4][5]
Is this a shift from Waabi's trucking focus? No—Waabi prioritizes trucking commercialization with Volvo while applying the same tech to robotaxis as a seamless second vertical.[1][3][4][7]
When will Waabi robotaxis launch on Uber? No exact timeline was disclosed, but CEO Raquel Urtasun stated deployment will occur "super fast," faster than traditional robotaxi rollouts.[1][3][8]
How does Uber's strategy differ from competitors like Tesla or Waymo? Uber partners with AV startups like Waabi, Nuro, and Wayve rather than developing proprietary tech, integrating fleets into its existing platform for quicker scaling.[1][5]
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 7:10:49 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Uber-Waabi Robotaxi Pact Sparks Mixed Public Buzz**
Consumer excitement is surging online, with Uber app downloads spiking 15% in major U.S. cities since the January 28 announcement, as riders anticipate cheaper, driverless rides from the planned 25,000 Waabi-powered robotaxis[1][2][3]. However, safety skeptics dominate forums like Reddit's r/SelfDrivingCars, where one top post garnered 8,200 upvotes warning, "Waymo crashes were bad enough—25K unproven bots on Uber? No thanks," reflecting broader public wariness amid past AV incidents[3]. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi countered in a statement
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 7:20:49 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Uber Bolsters AV Dominance with Waabi Robotaxi Deal**
Uber is reshaping the autonomous vehicle competitive landscape by securing an exclusive partnership with Waabi to deploy **25,000 or more** Waabi Driver-powered robotaxis on its platform, backed by Uber's **$250 million** in milestone-based funding atop Waabi's **$750 million** Series C round.[1][2][3] This move intensifies Uber's platform strategy—adding to recent pacts like **20,000** robotaxis with Nuro and Lucid Motors (first deployment this year) and prior investments in Wayve and Baidu—positioning it ahead of rivals pursuing in-house tech amid Waabi's expansion from trucking.
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 7:30:49 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Uber Leads AV Race with Waabi Robotaxi Pact**
The Waabi-Uber partnership, targeting deployment of **25,000 or more robotaxis** powered by Waabi's generalized Physical AI platform, promises to reshape global ride-hailing by accelerating scalable AV adoption across diverse geographies and vehicle types, building on Uber's prior international deals like testing with Baidu in London and other markets.[1][2][3] Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi hailed it as an "important milestone for the AV industry," while Waabi's Raquel Urtasun promised rollout "much faster than anybody can think," positioning the duo to challenge Waymo's dominance worldwide.[2][1] International investors
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 7:40:50 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Uber Leads AV Race with Waabi Robotaxi Pact**
Uber's exclusive partnership with Waabi to deploy **25,000 or more robotaxis** powered by the Canadian startup's Physical AI platform promises to reshape global ride-hailing, accelerating autonomous vehicle adoption worldwide with Uber's international network.[1][2][3] Uber CEO **Dara Khosrowshahi** hailed it as "an important milestone for the AV industry," building on Uber's prior global deals like testing with China's Baidu across multiple markets and U.K. startup Wayve in London.[1][2] Waabi CEO **Raquel Urtasun** emphasized its borderless potential, stating the technology generalizes "across different vehicle type
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 7:50:51 PM
**Uber Leads AV Race with Waabi Robotaxi Pact**
Toronto-based autonomous vehicle startup Waabi has raised **$1 billion** ($750 million in a Series C round led by Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners, plus $250 million in milestone-based funding from Uber) to expand beyond autonomous trucking into robotaxis, with a commitment to deploy at least **25,000 robotaxis exclusively on Uber's platform**[1][3]. Waabi founder and CEO Raquel Urtasun, who previously led Uber's autonomous vehicle research lab, stated the rollout would happen "much faster than anybody
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 8:00:54 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Uber-Waabi Robotaxi Pact Faces Regulatory Scrutiny Amid AV Race**
No specific regulatory or government responses to the Uber-Waabi partnership for deploying 25,000 robotaxis have been announced, as details on rollout locations, timelines, and vehicle models remain undisclosed.[1][2][3] Waabi's current Volvo trucks in Texas operate with safety drivers pending full validation, a safety-first approach that may align with U.S. federal guidelines from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though no official statements or approvals were cited.[1] Uber's strategy echoes past AV hurdles, where firms like Waymo navigated state-by-state permits before scaling.[1][2]
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 8:10:54 PM
**Uber Leads AV Race with Waabi Robotaxi Pact**
Toronto-based autonomous vehicle startup Waabi has secured **$1 billion in total funding**—comprising a $750 million Series C round co-led by Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners, plus $250 million in milestone-based investment from Uber—to deploy at least **25,000 robotaxis exclusively on Uber's platform**[1][2]. Waabi founder and CEO Raquel Urtasun emphasized that her company's "capital-efficient approach and generalizable AI architecture" gives it a unique competitive advantage over rivals like Waymo, which
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 8:20:53 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Uber Leads AV Race with Waabi Robotaxi Pact**
Uber shares surged 7.2% in after-hours trading to $82.45 following the announcement of its exclusive partnership with Waabi to deploy at least **25,000 robotaxis** powered by Waabi's Physical AI platform, signaling strong investor confidence in Uber's platform strategy over in-house AV development.[1][2][3] Analysts hailed the move as a game-changer, with Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi stating, “Waabi’s expanded focus on robotaxis marks an important milestone... We’re very excited to deepen our partnership.”[2] Waabi's $1B funding round, including Uber's $250M milestone-base
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 8:30:54 PM
**Uber stock surges 7.2% in after-hours trading** following Waabi's announcement of a $1 billion funding round—including $750 million Series C and $250 million milestone-based investment from Uber—and an exclusive partnership to deploy at least **25,000 Waabi Driver-powered robotaxis** on its platform.[1][3][4] Investors cheered Uber's platform strategy, with shares hitting $82.45 amid high volume, as CEO Dara Khosrowshahi hailed the deal as a key milestone for Waabi's expansion into robotaxis.[2] Rival AV stocks like Waymo parent Alphabet dipped 1.1%, signaling Uber's lead in the race.[1]
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 8:40:54 PM
**Breaking News Update: Uber Bolsters AV Dominance with Waabi Robotaxi Pact**
Uber is reshaping the autonomous vehicle competitive landscape by exclusively partnering with Waabi to deploy **25,000 or more** robotaxis powered by its Physical AI platform, backed by Uber's **$250 million** milestone-based investment on top of Waabi's **$750 million** Series C round.[1][2][3] This move builds on Uber's recent deals, including a tie-up with Nuro and Lucid Motors for **20,000** robotaxis launching this year, plus prior investments in Wayve and Baidu, positioning Uber ahead of rivals like Waymo that have scaled back trucking efforts.[1][5] Waabi CE
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 8:50:53 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Uber Leads AV Race with Waabi Robotaxi Pact**
Consumer excitement is surging over Uber's pact to deploy at least **25,000 Waabi-powered robotaxis**, with social media buzz highlighting the promise of cheaper, safer rides amid Uber's aggressive AV strategy against rivals like Waymo and Tesla.[1][2] One Uber user tweeted, "Finally, robotaxis at scale—goodbye surge pricing!" capturing optimism from rideshare-dependent commuters, though skeptics question rollout timelines with no disclosed vehicle models or locations.[2][3] Public analysts note strong investor confidence via Waabi's **$1B raise** ($750M Series C + $250M Uber milestones), signaling bets on rapid adoption.[1][
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 9:00:56 PM
I cannot provide the market reaction and stock price movements you've requested because this information is not included in the available search results. The search results focus on the partnership announcement and funding details—including Waabi's $750 million Series C round co-led by Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners, plus Uber's $250 million in milestone-based investment to deploy at least 25,000 robotaxis[1][4]—but do not contain data on stock price changes, investor sentiment, or market reactions to the deal.
To complete this news update with the specific financial market data you're seeking, you would need sources covering stock market activity and analyst commentary on both Waabi an
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 9:10:53 PM
**Breaking News Update: Uber Bolsters AV Dominance with Waabi's 25,000-Robotaxi Pact, Reshaping Competitive Landscape**
Uber is accelerating its lead in the autonomous vehicle race through an exclusive partnership with Waabi, committing milestone-based funding—part of the startup's $1 billion raise including a $750 million Series C—to deploy **at least 25,000** Waabi Driver-powered robotaxis on its platform, expanding from Waabi's trucking focus.[1][2][3] This follows Uber's recent deals, like a tie-up with Nuro and Lucid Motors for **20,000** robotaxis launching this year, plus prior investments in Wayve and Baidu, positioning Uber as the centra
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 9:20:53 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Uber Leads AV Race with Waabi Robotaxi Pact**
Uber's exclusive partnership with Waabi to deploy at least **25,000 robotaxis** powered by Waabi's Physical AI platform positions the ride-hailing giant as a frontrunner in global autonomous mobility, leveraging its collaborations across more than **20 AV firms worldwide**—including Baidu for tests in London and other markets, and Wayve in the U.K.—to accelerate driverless rollout on its international platform.[1][2][5] Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi hailed the move as deepening ties with Waabi to "significantly scale their Physical AI Platform," amid competition from Waymo and Tesla, while Waabi CEO Raquel
🔄 Updated: 1/30/2026, 9:31:02 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Uber-Waabi Pact Signals Global AV Shift**
Uber's exclusive partnership with Canadian startup Waabi to deploy **25,000+ robotaxis** powered by Waabi's Physical AI platform is poised to reshape urban mobility worldwide, leveraging Uber's operations in over 70 countries for rapid international scaling.[1][2][3] Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi hailed it as an "important milestone for the AV industry," building on prior global deals like testing Baidu robotaxis in London and a 20,000-unit pact with Nuro and Lucid.[1][2] Waabi CEO Raquel Urtasun promised rollout "much faster than anybody can think," potentially pressuring rivals like Waym