Travis Kalanick Returns to Self-Driving with Major Uber Backing

Travis Kalanick, Uber's founder, is reportedly launching a new self-driving vehicle company, leveraging significant backing from Uber. This initiative signals Kalanick's intent to be more aggressive in autonomous technology deployment compared to rivals like Waymo. He is also exploring the acquisition of Pronto, an autonomous vehicle startup specializing in industrial sites, founded by Anthony Levandowski.

Kalanick's previous involvement with self-driving technology at Uber began in 2015. His departure from Uber occurred in 2017 amid multiple crises at the company. The ride-hailing giant's self-driving division faced further challenges, including a fatal accident involving a pedestrian in 2018, before being sold in 2020. Kalanick recently expressed regret over Uber's decision to abandon its internal self-driving car development.