Uber Considers Kalanick’s Pony.ai Bid to Boost Self-Driving Tech

Uber Technologies is reportedly in preliminary discussions with its co-founder and former CEO, Travis Kalanick, to help finance his potential acquisition of Pony.ai’s US subsidiary. The China-based autonomous vehicle company has been exploring the sale of its US operations to comply with regulatory restrictions.

According to The New York Times and sources familiar with the matter, the talks suggest a possible strategic pivot for Uber as competition in the self-driving taxi market heats up, particularly from Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle unit.

Waymo continues to gain traction in key markets like Austin and San Francisco. In Austin, rides booked through Uber’s platform using Waymo vehicles accounted for approximately 20% of all Uber trips by March 2025, according to Yipit Data.

Founded in Silicon Valley in 2016, Pony.ai operates autonomous vehicle programs in both the United States and China. However, regulatory measures in the United States prohibit Chinese-controlled software from being used in domestic autonomous vehicles. To comply, Pony.ai “forked” its source code in 2022, creating a version maintained solely by US-based engineers. The US Department of Commerce has set March 2026 as the deadline for full compliance, driving the urgency to spin off or sell Pony’s US business.

If the transaction proceeds, Kalanick is expected to lead Pony.ai’s US operations while retaining his position as CEO of CloudKitchens, a venture focused on ghost kitchens and food delivery infrastructure. Recently, Kalanick has incorporated robotics into CloudKitchens’ operations, signaling a growing interest in automation.

The financial terms of the potential acquisition remain undisclosed. Pony.ai, which went public in 2023, raised US$260 million in its IPO and achieved a market capitalization of approximately US$4.5 billion. Following news of Kalanick’s interest, its stock rose 13%.

Uber has not confirmed any direct involvement in the potential acquisition. A company spokesperson stated, “Uber maintains a platform strategy and partners with multiple players globally to safely advance autonomous technology.” Representatives for Kalanick and Pony.ai declined to comment.

Under current CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber shifted its focus from developing proprietary self-driving technology to forming partnerships with companies like Waymo, Aurora, and WeRide. This marks a significant departure from Uber’s earlier investments in autonomous vehicles, including the high-profile 2016 acquisition of Otto, a self-driving trucking startup.

That acquisition led to a legal battle with Alphabet over trade secret theft, culminating in a settlement that granted Waymo a small equity stake in Uber. Uber’s self-driving efforts faced further setbacks after a fatal accident in 2018 involving one of its test vehicles. In 2020, Khosrowshahi sold Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group to Aurora, signaling a shift away from in-house development.

The talks highlight a renewed relationship between Kalanick and Khosrowshahi, who have reportedly resumed communication over the past year, discussing robotics, autonomous vehicles, and food delivery innovations.