New York, Jan 28, 2026, 14:30 EST — Regular session
- Uber shares slipped 1.4% in afternoon trading, following a modest retreat in U.S. equities
- Waabi announced a $750 million funding round and a robotaxi agreement to deploy over 25,000 vehicles on Uber gradually
- Uber also introduced “AV Labs,” a new unit focused on collecting real-world driving data to support its self-driving partners
Shares of Uber Technologies (UBER) slid 1.4% Wednesday, closing at $80.09. Investors digested the company’s renewed focus on autonomous vehicles alongside a funding round at self-driving startup Waabi.
Timing is crucial. Uber’s quarterly report drops in a few days, and investors are bracing for signs of margin discipline after the stock’s recent rally and a surge of pricey bets in tech and mobility sectors.
This move throws Uber’s “platform” strategy back into focus — not making robotaxis on its own, but aiming to be the hub for self-driving fleets as they expand. The payoff? More rides, cheaper prices. But the gamble is that autonomous tech could lag or get undercut by competitors and partners.
Waabi announced it has wrapped up an oversubscribed $750 million Series C funding round and locked in extra milestone-based capital from Uber. The deal is linked to a partnership where Waabi’s robotaxi software will be used exclusively on Uber’s platform. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi described Waabi’s robotaxi effort as “an important milestone” in a statement highlighted in Waabi’s announcement. Waabi
TechCrunch reported that Uber’s investment linked to the robotaxi rollout was about $250 million, with no set deadline for launching 25,000 or more vehicles on the platform. The report noted Waabi’s entry expands Uber’s lineup of autonomous vehicle partners.
Uber is tackling a different challenge: data. The company just launched “AV Labs,” a team dedicated to creating a “data flywheel” — a cycle where real-world trips generate edge-case driving data to enhance self-driving tech. Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga told TechCrunch, “Our goal, primarily, is to democratize this data,” and stressed that Uber won’t be charging for it “at least not yet.” Uber
The broader market was uneven following the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates steady, as investors sifted through the statement looking for clues on potential rate cuts.
Shares of other gig-economy companies dipped as well: Lyft dropped roughly 1.5%, while DoorDash edged down about 0.5%.
The robotaxi narrative remains anything but straightforward. Neither Uber nor Waabi has announced a firm launch date, and autonomy projects have a habit of missing deadlines as safety concerns, regulatory hurdles, and costs come into play. Even with a vast network, the financials hinge on fleet ownership, liability responsibilities, and how the revenue split shakes out.
Regulation remains in focus. On Tuesday, a Dutch court reversed a 2021 ruling that labeled all Uber drivers as employees, deciding that the drivers involved can be considered independent entrepreneurs. Uber hailed the judgment as “a clear victory” for drivers aiming to maintain independent status. Reuters
Uber is set to release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings on Feb. 4, before U.S. markets open. Investors will be watching closely for updates on bookings, profit margins, and any expenses related to its autonomy partnerships.
