Uber Forms Micromobility Robotics Team for Self-Driving Scooters
Uber is developing autonomous bikes and scooters under its new Micromobility Robotics division. The initiative aims to have vehicles drive themselves to charging stations and high-demand areas.
Uber is exploring autonomous technology for its shared bikes and scooters through a new division called Micromobility Robotics. This team operates within Uber's JUMP group and focuses on creating vehicles that drive themselves to charging stations or rider locations. While Uber's Advanced Technologies Group continues to handle self-driving cars, this new initiative specifically targets the micromobility sector to improve operational efficiency.
The development builds on JUMP's recent introduction of next-generation electric bikes equipped with self-diagnostic tools and swappable batteries. These upgraded bikes aim to enhance unit economics by increasing fleet uptime and system utilization. By removing the need to transport vehicles to central charging locations, swappable batteries already provide a significant boost to the overall business performance of the shared fleet.
Adding autonomous driving capabilities to these vehicles further reduces Uber's reliance on human labor for charging and rebalancing. In this envisioned system, low-battery scooters and bikes return to warehouses on their own, receive fresh batteries, and automatically deploy to areas with high demand. This self-sustaining cycle creates a highly efficient operation that maximizes vehicle availability and improves the experience for riders.