Travis Kalanick to Buy Pony.ai? Uber's Potential Role

Travis Kalanick Eyes Acquisition of Pony AI's U.S. Operations

According to a report by The New York Times, Travis Kalanick, the founder of Uber, is exploring the possibility of acquiring the U.S. branch of Pony AI, a Chinese firm specializing in autonomous vehicle technology.

It is understood that Kalanick is collaborating with investors to secure funding for this potential acquisition. Furthermore, Uber itself may play a role in facilitating the transaction, as indicated in the Times’ reporting.

Pony AI's Current Status

Pony AI became a publicly traded company last year, initially boasting a market capitalization of approximately $4.5 billion prior to the publication of The New York Times article. Preparations for a potential sale or spin-off of its U.S. operations began as early as 2022.

These preparations included the creation of a distinct, “forked” version of the company’s core source code, suggesting a deliberate move towards separation.

A Return to Autonomous Vehicle Technology for Kalanick

An acquisition of Pony AI would mark Kalanick’s re-entry into the self-driving vehicle sector, a field he left following his departure from Uber in 2017.

During his tenure at Uber, the company was actively developing its own autonomous vehicle technology. However, a tragic incident in 2018, involving a pedestrian fatality caused by an Uber test vehicle in Arizona, significantly altered the company’s course.

Uber's Shift in Strategy

Dara Khosrowshahi, who succeeded Kalanick as Uber’s CEO, ultimately decided to divest the company’s self-driving division. This division was sold to Aurora, a startup focused on autonomous trucking.

Under Khosrowshahi’s leadership, Uber adopted a partnership-based strategy, integrating self-driving vehicles from companies such as Waymo onto its ride-hailing platform.

Kalanick's Recent Ventures

In recent years, Kalanick has demonstrated a growing interest in robotics through his involvement with CloudKitchens, a ghost kitchen company that he currently manages.

Should he proceed with the Pony AI acquisition, it is reported that Kalanick intends to continue fulfilling his day-to-day responsibilities at CloudKitchens.

Reflections on Uber's Past and Future

Speaking at an event in March, Kalanick asserted that Uber’s autonomous vehicle technology was “really only behind Waymo but probably catching up” at the time of his exit. This followed a legal dispute between Uber and Waymo concerning trade secrets related to autonomous vehicle technology, which was eventually resolved.

Regarding Khosrowshahi’s decision to sell Uber’s self-driving division, Kalanick commented: “I wasn’t running the company when that happened, but you know, you could say, ‘Wish we had an autonomous ride-sharing product right now. That would be great.’”