As Uber accelerates into the future of mobility, Sachin Kansal, Chief Product Officer, in an interview with Business Today discusses partnerships, India’s potential in automated vehicles, and the road ahead for profitability and seamless global integration. Edited excerpts:
What was your team’s initial reaction when the first autonomous car rolled out?
I was here in January when we started testing, and collectively, the team was very excited. We have partnered with Waymo for a couple of years now, initially launching in Phoenix.
While there are fewer cars there, Austin has a larger fleet, and we plan to expand that number to many hundreds between Austin and Atlanta.
The experience of using the Uber app to request an autonomous car, getting matched, and riding in it was phenomenal and highly motivating for the team.
Many driver-partners are concerned about potential job losses as autonomous vehicles become more prevalent. How is Uber addressing these concerns?
Currently, we have only a few dozen autonomous vehicles in Austin. We firmly believe in a hybrid network that includes both human drivers and couriers alongside autonomous vehicles. That’s why our platform is built as a hybrid system.
There are several factors to consider. First, automated vehicles (AVs) currently operate within specific geofenced areas and are limited to a few cities. Many pickup and drop-off locations are still better served by human drivers and couriers.
More importantly, it’s impossible to have enough AVs to meet the high demand during peak traffic hours without having excess idle vehicles at other times.
Many countries, including India, are making significant strides in AI-driven transportation, with growing demand for ADAS-equipped cars. Do you see a future for autonomous vehicles in India?
Two key things need to happen. First, the technology must be capable of operating in various conditions. India has diverse city environments, and AV technology must be able to adapt to them. Second, there must be a regulatory framework in place. Since Uber already operates within existing regulations in India, we expect the government to be involved in shaping AV regulations as well. We are hopeful that both
Technological advancements and regulatory frameworks will evolve, and when they do, we’ll be ready to launch in India.
From an Indian perspective, what are the top two or three challenges that need to be addressed, and how can policy support accelerate AV adoption?
From a policy standpoint, two key areas need focus—supporting both electric and autonomous vehicles while ensuring safety remains a top priority. Safety is the most critical aspect of AV technology, not just in India but globally. Establishing clear safety guidelines and regulations for AVs will be essential.
Beyond Jaguar, will Uber’s autonomous vehicle fleet expand to other brands?
Yes, we believe that Waymo and other partners will collaborate with many more OEMs. Uber also has direct relationships with OEMs, so you will definitely see a wider variety of autonomous vehicles on the road, including models of different costs and sizes.
Profitability is a key focus for Uber. How does the company plan to drive profitability in the autonomous technology space?
Right now, we are in the very early stages of this journey, and it’s a long road ahead. While economics certainly matter, our current priority is building a platform that partners want to integrate with and that riders love to use. Over time, we’ll see the financial aspects evolve.
Elon Musk recently announced Tesla’s robo-taxi initiative in Austin, making the city a battleground for autonomous taxis. Given that Tesla manufactures its own vehicles, do you see this as a competitive threat?
We already have hundreds of thousands of Teslas operating on our platform, and we’d love to work with them. It’s great to see autonomous technology advancing rapidly.
While we remain focused on our partnership with Waymo, we aim to collaborate with as many technology providers and OEMs as possible. At the end of the day, Uber is a platform, and we welcome all partners who want to work with us.
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