New York, Jan 29, 2026, 19:37 ET — After-hours
- Uber shares gained roughly 2.4% during Thursday’s regular session, holding steady after hours.
- Self-driving startup Waabi announced it’s moving into robotaxis through an exclusive deal with Uber, aiming to roll out 25,000 vehicles eventually.
- Investors are eyeing Uber’s Feb. 4 earnings for fresh details on margins, bookings, and its autonomy partnerships.
Uber Technologies’ shares gained 2.4% Thursday, ending a five-day slide by closing at $81.70. After-hours trading kept the stock near that level. 1
Uber’s current push hinges on persuading investors it can grow without relying on fare increases, even as it bankrolls experiments aimed at cutting long-term costs. One of the few game-changers here is driverless taxis — or “robotaxis” — cars that don’t need a human behind the wheel and could quickly reshape that margin equation. 2
Uber is set to report its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings on Feb. 4, with the results call scheduled before U.S. markets open, the company confirmed. 3
The trigger came from a fresh autonomous-vehicle deal. Waabi announced Wednesday it wrapped up a $750 million Series C funding round and locked in extra milestone-driven investment from Uber linked to a robotaxi collaboration. Milestone-based funding means cash flows only when specific goals are hit. 2
Waabi announced the deal is exclusive to Uber’s platform, aiming to roll out “25,000 or more” Waabi Driver-powered robotaxis eventually. No detailed timeline was shared. 2
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi described Waabi’s robotaxi initiative as “an important milestone” and expressed that Uber is “very excited to deepen our partnership,” according to Waabi’s statement. 2
Waabi CEO Raquel Urtasun said the company’s “current self-driving capabilities” have paved the way for robotaxis, adding that Waabi is “thrilled to partner” with Uber, according to the statement. 2
Thursday’s rebound saw heavier trading, with Uber’s volume reaching around 26.7 million shares, surpassing its 50-day average. The session itself was volatile — the Dow inched higher, while the Nasdaq slipped. 1
After closing its own driverless division years back, Uber has been reshaping its autonomy approach via partnerships, Axios reported. The company inked several deals across the sector, with investors viewing these ties as bets on future expenses — and a shield against competitors like Alphabet’s Waymo and, down the line, Tesla. 4
But the risk runs both ways. Massive robotaxi rollouts encounter regulatory challenges, safety concerns, and slow timelines. Waabi hasn’t started any commercial robotaxi operations yet. That means any delays might saddle Uber with upfront expenses but little short-term revenue boost. 5
February 4 is the date to watch as Uber reports earnings. Investors will be digging into demand trends for both ride-hailing and delivery services. They’ll also look for updates on how fast autonomy partnerships are progressing—from announcements to actual rides and the impact on margins. 3
