Uber expands into travel tools and builds new self-driving data unit

In short: Uber is adding more travel features in its app and is investing in data and AI tools to support robotaxi partners, while saying it does not want to do everything itself.

What happened

Uber Chief Product Officer Sachin Kansal told TechCrunch that Uber is pushing further beyond rides and food delivery. In the app, Uber now includes hotel bookings through a partnership with Expedia, plus features like “shop for me” and boat rentals in parts of Europe.

Kansal said Uber picked travel as a focus because many trips on Uber happen outside a user’s home city. His idea is that travel can sit next to rides and Uber Eats as another common reason people open the app.

Behind the scenes, Uber is also building out new business lines. It has financial tools aimed mainly at drivers and couriers, including the Uber Pro Card, which works like a debit card for their earnings. Kansal said Uber is also experimenting with similar products for merchants in some places, and it may or may not expand further to consumers.

Uber is also building a unit called AV Labs. Kansal said AV Labs will equip hundreds of vehicles with sensors to collect large amounts of driving data, which can help self-driving car companies handle rare, tricky situations (like a strange construction detour you only see once in a million miles).

On AI, Kansal said Uber has features people can notice, like an assistant that suggests where drivers might find more ride requests, faster grocery cart building in Eats, and voice-based ride requests.

Why it matters

Uber’s app is starting to look more like a travel helper, not just a way to get a ride. At the same time, Uber is trying to stay useful in a future where some rides may be done by robotaxis, even when partners like Waymo can also be competitors.

Source: TechCrunch AI