Uber hands off self-driving development in search for profitability

Even after the Tempe, Arizona self-driving vehicle crash which killed Elaine Herzberg, Uber remained adamant that autonomous vehicles (AVs) would play an important role in its future success. Speaking a month after the crash in April 2018, Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi told NBC the company remained “absolutely committed” to AVs. Later, in November 2019, he told reporters on HBO’s Axios that robot drivers could begin on simple routes within the next three to five years.