Self-driving taxis are impacting the US ride-hailing market

 

VTV.vn - Automated taxis are rapidly transforming the US ride-hailing market, forcing Uber to reposition itself in the increasingly fierce race for autonomous vehicles.

As the US seeks to train a workforce for high-tech manufacturing, a wave of automation is fundamentally changing many service sectors. Fifteen years ago, Uber was among the tech companies that revolutionized the traditional taxi industry. Today, Uber is facing a new transformation. As autonomous taxis rapidly expand in many US cities, the company is downsizing its operations, increasing its investments, and focusing on establishing itself in the autonomous vehicle market.

Uber is cutting 10% of its global workforce. The company says its goal is to reduce bureaucracy, streamline operations, and redirect resources to areas that will drive growth, including autonomous vehicles.

CBS News, citing Wedbush estimates, reports that this round of layoffs, affecting approximately 3,400 jobs, could save Uber around $1.7 billion. But more importantly, how will the company use these resources in the race for self-driving taxis?

According to The Wall Street Journal, Uber has committed to investing up to $1.25 billion in Rivian and plans to add 10,000 R2 autonomous vehicles to its platform starting in 2028, primarily from San Francisco and Miami. Instead of developing the technology entirely from scratch, Uber has opted for a different strategy: integrating robot taxis from various companies into its own transportation network. This strategy is gaining increasing importance as competitors rapidly expand.

Perhaps the most significant shift lies in Uber’s competitive advantage. Previously, this advantage was its network of millions of drivers. In the era of self-driving taxis, Uber is betting on its ability to maintain its central position thanks to its app, customer base, and capacity to integrate various types of vehicles onto a single platform.

Axios reports that Waymo now operates in 14 U.S. cities. The company began offering rides in San Diego just this week and continues to expand its operations to Denver and Tampa.

Waymo has reportedly completed more than 500,000 paid rides per week with its self-driving taxis. This means that self-driving taxis are no longer just an experimental technology but are gradually becoming a real transportation market.

The Washington Post cited figures showing that Waymo captured nearly 27% of the ride-sharing market in San Francisco in just 20 months. As the company seeks to expand into Washington, D.C., Uber and Lyft drivers are concerned about their income and jobs, while the city is considering limiting the number of self-driving taxis and providing training support to those who may be affected.

So, the race for self-driving taxis isn't just about who can make the best self-driving car, it extends to phones as well; when passengers need a ride, which app will they choose to open first?