Uber Discusses Funding Kalanick’s Pony.ai US Acquisition

Uber Technologies is in early-stage discussions to support its co-founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick in acquiring the U.S. subsidiary of Chinese autonomous vehicle company Pony.ai, signaling a strategic move to strengthen its position amid intensifying competition in the self-driving vehicle market from rivals like Waymo and Tesla. Kalanick would lead Pony.ai's U.S. operations while maintaining his role at CloudKitchens, though the financial details and Uber's potential equity involvement remain undisclosed. Pony.ai, valued at approximately $4.5 billion following its 2024 U.S. public listing, already collaborates with Uber through a robotaxi partnership in the Middle East. The talks have positively impacted the stock prices of both companies, reflecting market optimism about the potential deal's impact on Uber's autonomous technology strategy. Uber has shifted from developing self-driving technology internally to partnering with and investing in autonomous vehicle firms, aiming to become the leading commercial platform for driverless car services. The acquisition move aligns with broader industry trends toward autonomous transportation innovation, which could reshape market competition and infrastructure in the U.S. and globally.