New York, Jan 30, 2026, 21:10 ET — Market closed.
- Uber shares dropped 2% on Friday, trading roughly 22% under their 52-week peak
- Several robotaxi announcements thrust autonomy back into the spotlight ahead of earnings
- Uber will release its quarterly results on Feb. 4
Uber Technologies (UBER) shares dropped 2.02% on Friday, finishing at $80.05. The stock lagged a sluggish U.S. market and now sits roughly 21.5% below its 52-week peak. Volume climbed to 24.2 million shares, outpacing its 50-day average. (MarketWatch)
The ride-hailing firm continued dropping fresh hints about autonomous vehicles, a persistent narrative that can boost the story yet complicate the numbers simultaneously.
Why it matters now: Uber wants to keep its business asset-light but remain the go-to app once autonomous vehicles hit the streets. As earnings approach, investors increasingly question who will foot the bill for this shift—and when those self-driving rides will actually appear in the app.
Stocks slipped broadly as investors digested President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh for Federal Reserve chair. The S&P 500 dropped 0.4%, while the Nasdaq fell 0.9%, according to an Associated Press count. (AP News)
On Thursday, Nvidia announced plans to enable “premium autonomous rides” with the upcoming Mercedes-Benz S-Class via Uber’s platform, linking the carmaker’s next model cycle directly to Uber’s global reach. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang noted, “Five years ago, NVIDIA began working with Mercedes-Benz” to usher the brand “into the AI era.” (NVIDIA Blog)
Mercedes-Benz, in its latest update, positioned the S-Class as a platform for a driverless shuttle service, emphasizing a “fail-safe” design with multiple redundancies in steering, braking, computing, and power systems. The company aims for SAE Level 4 autonomy, which allows the vehicle to operate without a human driver under specific conditions. “These partnerships mark the beginning of our entry into the robotaxi market,” said Jörg Burzer, chief technology officer at Mercedes-Benz Group. (Mercedes-Benz Group)
The day before, Waabi announced it raised $1 billion in fresh capital, including a $750 million Series C round, alongside an exclusive robotaxi deal with Uber. Uber plans to inject extra milestone-based funding—capital disbursed only if specific goals are hit—targeting a rollout of “25,000 or more” Waabi-powered robotaxis on its platform over time. (Waabi)
Business Insider says Uber’s investment in Waabi hits $250 million, linked to undisclosed milestones. Waabi COO Lior Ron praised Uber as “great in building marketplaces,” highlighting their knack for matching supply with demand. Neither company revealed timelines or named the automaker partner for the fleet. (Business Insider)
The downside is all too familiar. Autonomy timelines stretch out, regulators drag their feet, and expenses for insurance, safety protocols, and fleet management pile up. The danger? Those “platform” economics may start to look a lot messier when the actual costs come due.
On Feb. 6, the January U.S. employment report arrives, a key data point known for rattling interest-rate forecasts and shaking up high-growth and consumer-focused stocks. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Uber is gearing up to release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings on Wednesday, Feb. 4, followed by a conference call at 8:00 a.m. ET. Investors will be focused on the company’s guidance and any concrete updates on turning robotaxi partnerships into actual, revenue-generating rides. (Uber Investor Relations)
