Weekly Roundup: Uber Bets $1.25 Billion on Rivian to Build 50,000-Vehicle Robotaxi Fleet

Uber invests $1.25 billion into Rivian to expand its robotaxi fleet. Uber founder says Waymo is “obviously” ahead of Tesla. Rideshare drivers file a complaint alleging Waymo is illegally ferrying unaccompanied minors. New York City overrides a mayoral veto to pass landmark driver deactivation protections. Bank of America reaffirms its Buy on Uber. We break it all down for you.

Uber Bets $1.25 Billion on Rivian to Build 50,000-Vehicle Robotaxi Fleet

Uber Bets $1.25 Billion on Rivian to Build 50,000-Vehicle Robotaxi Fleet
Image credit: Rivian Newsroom

Source: CNBC

Uber announced a landmark deal Thursday to invest up to $1.25 billion in EV maker Rivian, with Uber deploying up to 50,000 robotaxis across 25 cities in the U.S., Canada, and Europe by 2031. The first phase covers 10,000 autonomous R2 vehicles, with an initial $300 million investment pending regulatory approval and an option for 40,000 more starting in 2030. San Francisco and Miami are the first planned launch cities in 2028, exclusively on the Uber platform.

  • Rivian’s R2 robotaxis use an in-house autonomous tech stack, using the RAP1 Autonomy Processor, vertically integrated and manufactured in the U.S.
  • The deal follows Rivian’s $5.8 billion software partnership with Volkswagen and expands Uber’s AV roster alongside Zoox, Lucid, Stellantis, and Nvidia.
  • Rivian shares jumped ~10% in premarket trading before closing 3% higher; Uber stock slipped 1% after the deal was announced.

Kalanick: Waymo Is “Obviously” Winning the Robotaxi Race, But He’s Coming for Them

Image credit: All In Podcast

Source: Electrek

Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick declared on a live episode of the All-In Podcast that Waymo is clearly ahead of Tesla in the AV race, saying Tesla still needs a “ChatGPT moment” for its vision-only approach to work at scale. He also unveiled Atoms, his new robotics venture that operated in stealth for eight years under his City Storage Systems umbrella, which will also tackle robotaxis. Reports indicate Uber is backing the effort, and Kalanick has told associates he plans a more aggressive autonomous rollout than Waymo.

  • Waymo operates driverless rides in 10 U.S. cities, ~400,000 paid rides per week, targeting 1 million weekly by the end of 2026, with 90% fewer serious injury crashes than human drivers.
  • Tesla’s Austin program runs ~35 vehicles with safety supervisors and has logged 15 NHTSA crash reports since its June 2025 launch.
  • Kalanick is reportedly near acquiring Pronto, the AV startup founded by Anthony Levandowski, the former Google/Uber engineer convicted of stealing AV trade secrets, later pardoned by President Trump.

Rideshare Drivers File Complaint: Waymo Is Letting Kids Ride Alone, Violating State Permit

Rideshare Drivers File Complaint: Waymo Is Letting Kids Ride Alone, Violating State Permit
Image credit: Waymo newsroom

Source: ABC 7 News

The California Gig Workers Union filed a formal complaint with the CPUC Tuesday, alleging Waymo is illegally transporting unaccompanied minors in the Bay Area, violating both its state permit and its own website policy requiring riders to be 18 or older. Waymo’s attorney has acknowledged on the record that the company is aware some parents have been sending children on solo trips. The complaint asks regulators to investigate and suspend Waymo’s permit until compliance is proven.

  • Potential penalties are $5,000 per incident; the CPUC is separately weighing whether to update rules to allow AV operators to carry unaccompanied minors in the future.
  • Uber and Lyft drivers face deactivation for transporting unaccompanied minors. Drivers argue Waymo should be held to the same standard.
  • Some SF parents expressed more trust in Waymo than human drivers for their kids, signaling public appetite for a future policy change.

NYC Council Overrides Veto, Passes Landmark Driver Deactivation Protection Law

NYC Council Overrides Veto, Passes Landmark Driver Deactivation Protection Law
Image credit: Ck/Pexels

Source: Gothamist

The New York City Council voted Thursday to override former Mayor Adams’ veto and enact legislation that significantly limits how Uber and Lyft can deactivate drivers from their platforms. The law mandates 14 days’ notice before deactivation (except for egregious misconduct), establishes just-cause termination standards, and creates an independent appeals process with a path to reinstatement and back pay.

  • Lyft called it “flawed policy” that risks keeping unsafe drivers on the road. Sponsors counter that the law explicitly allows immediate removal for serious offenses like sexual harassment and reckless driving
  • The bill builds on earlier TLC rules that restricted temporary driver “lockouts” apps used to skirt minimum pay requirements.
  • Council sponsor Shekar Krishnan called sudden deactivations “a nightmare” that strips drivers of their livelihoods without warning or recourse.

Uber-Nvidia Partnership Supercharges AV Outlook, Earns Bank of America “Buy” Reiteration

Image credit: Uber newsroom

Source: Yahoo Finance

Bank of America reaffirmed its Buy rating on Uber after the company and Nvidia announced a partnership to launch Level 4 robotaxis in 28 global cities by 2028, with LA and San Francisco targeted for the first half of 2027. The rollout will include BYD, Geely, Mercedes, Nissan, and Toyota using Nvidia’s DRIVE Hyperion platform, starting with safety drivers before going fully driverless. Uber shares surged nearly 6% on the news, closing at $79.

  • BofA analysts say Uber is positioned to have multiple simultaneous Level 4 AV partners in its top U.S. markets by 2027, a shift that could meaningfully expand the stock’s valuation multiple.
  • The broader AV supply growth could pressure Waymo, Tesla, and Zoox to join Uber’s network to access its massive rider base.
  • Nvidia also unveiled updates to its L4 autonomy stack, including the Halos OS safety framework and Alpamayo 1.5 AI model, with new collaborations with Lyft and Amazon on in-cabin intelligence.

QUICK HITS

  • DoorDash will start offering Dashers the opportunity to make more money by training AI systems. – CNBC
  • DoorDash is starting to offer restaurant reservations. – Wired
  • Want to learn more about the robotaxi industry? Subscribe to The Driverless Digest, our new newsletter and podcast dedicated to the future of autonomous vehicles.

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