Latest news with #Khosrowshahi
Leaders
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Leaders
China's WeRide Launches Driverless Taxi Operations in Saudi Arabia
Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide has officially announced its plans to launch self-driving taxis in Saudi Arabia by year-end. The company is currently testing its flagship product, the Robotaxi, in Riyadh and the luxurious holiday resort of AlUla. Additionally, WeRide is evaluating other core autonomous driving products, as stated in a recent press release. We're officially in Saudi Arabia! 🇸🇦 @WeRide is rolling out our #Robotaxi, #Robobus and #Robosweeper across #Riyadh, #AlUla and more — driving forward the Kingdom's #Vision2030 goals for smart, sustainable mobility. Here's what to expect: 🚖 Robotaxi trial operations in Riyadh… — (@WeRide_ai) May 27, 2025 Collaboration with Local Partners Founded in California's Silicon Valley, WeRide operates on the Nasdaq but maintains its headquarters in Guangzhou, China. In Saudi Arabia, the company collaborates with Uber and the Transport General Authority to facilitate its operations. Furthermore, Saudi company AI Driver will serve as WeRide's representative agent in the kingdom. While Uber prepares to introduce driverless cars in Riyadh within the next few months, WeRide is also conducting road tests for its Robobus. Testing locations include King Fahad Medical City, Saudi Aramco residential communities, AlUla, and the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh. Moreover, WeRide's Robosweeper, an autonomous sanitation vehicle, is undergoing trials in King Fahad Medical City. Understanding Autonomous Vehicle Levels There are six classifications of autonomous vehicles (AVs), ranging from level zero, which indicates no automation, to level five, representing full driving automation. Notably, the Robosweeper is classified as the first level-four sanitation vehicle, showcasing significant advancements in autonomous technology. Earlier this month, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced that driverless cars would debut in Saudi Arabia this year. Speaking at the US-Saudi Investment Conference in Riyadh on 13 May, Khosrowshahi emphasized that Saudi Arabia ranks among Uber's top growing markets. He highlighted that the company currently serves 4 million drivers across the kingdom, indicating strong demand for innovative transportation solutions. Short link : Post Views: 37
Entrepreneur
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Entrepreneur
Uber, Rideshares Creating a Decline in Gen Z Drivers
Getting a license used to represent freedom for young drivers. Here's why some Gen Zers are saying no thanks. In 2003, statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation showed that 45% of eligible people age 19 or under had a driver's license. In 2023, that number has declined to about 33%. Are Gen Zers failing the parallel parking portion of their tests in record numbers? No, the decline in licensed drivers has nothing to do with skill and everything to do with tech, reports Business Insider. Related: 'It Is What It Is': Uber CEO Defends New Return-to-Office Policies at 'Heated' All-Hands Meeting More and more young folks are getting around in Ubers, and see no real reason to get behind the wheel themselves. On a recent conversation on the Decoder podcast, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi revealed that his 18-year-old son is part of the trend. "I'm still trying to get my son to get his driver's license, but Uber's freed him up," Khosrowshahi said. Khosrowshahi explained that for older generations, getting a driver's license meant freedom — you could finally go where you wanted to go without needing a lift from your parents. These days, Uber delivers that same freedom, he said, without the cost of buying a car, insuring it, and keeping it fueled up. Related: Uber's CEO Says Drivers Have About 10 Years Left Before They Will Be Replaced Uber has long billed itself as an alternative to car ownership, and has not been quiet about its efforts to capture the teen demographic. They've offered a version of the app geared at teens since 2023, and their subscription program, Uber One, allows parents to get rides for their kids. Uber's efforts with this demographic and others seem to be paying off. In its 2025 first-quarter investor report, Uber's gross bookings grew 14% year-over-year to $42.8 billion. The company estimates second-quarter gross bookings will reach $45.75 to $47.25 billion.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi's son still hasn't gotten his license and uses ride-hailing instead. He's not alone
Uber has long said its ride-hailing service is an alternative to owning a car. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company's success has affected his own son's transportation habits. Khosrowshahi said on a podcast that young people are putting off getting driver's licenses. Uber's quest to compete with owning a car has come home for CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. Like many young people, Khosrowshahi's son doesn't have his license despite being over 18. The reason: he can get around using the ride-hailing app that his father oversees, the CEO said on an episode of The Verge's Decoder podcast. "I'm still trying to get my son to get his driver's license, but Uber's freed him up," Khosrowshahi said. Uber executives have long said that they view their ride-hailing offering as an alternative to car ownership. Khosrowshahi's son and others like him show how much progress Uber may have made on that front. In 2023, about 33% of eligible drivers aged 19 or under had a license, according to data from the US Department of Transportation. In 2003, it was 45%. Ride-hailing apps like Uber, which was founded in 2009, are one of the reasons for that decline, Khosrowshahi said. "It is absolutely having an effect on car ownership," he said of the company. Uber did not respond to a request for additional comment from Business Insider. Driving is one of a few life milestones for young adults that some members of Gen Z are holding off on reaching, along with their first romantic relationships and entering the workforce. While some are waiting because of personal choice, others say economic realities are limiting what they can achieve. Khosrowshahi also said that the shift away from driving among young people marks a cultural change. For decades, many young people have gotten their driver's licenses as soon as they're old enough to. Podcast host Nilay Patel said that he got his license at 15-and-a-half while growing up in Wisconsin, for instance. "It was a goal in life," Khosrowshahi said. "It represented freedom." Uber started offering a version of its app for teens in 2023. Since then, the company has integrated rides for young people into its broader offering. It now lets parents request rides for their kids as well as share their benefits from Uber One, the company's paid subscription program. In March, Khosrowshahi said at an investor conference that teens were among the "new demographics that we're going after." The company has also introduced a streamlined version of its app for seniors to use. Khosrowshahi said that Uber doesn't keep estimates of how many people — teens or other demographic groups — might have avoided buying a car because they use Uber. But he did say on the podcast that car ownership is still "the big Kahuna" that Uber is targeting with its ride-hailing business. Do you have a story to share about gig work? Contact this reporter at abitter@ or 808-854-4501. Read the original article on Business Insider Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Business Insider
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi's son still hasn't gotten his license and uses ride-hailing instead. He's not alone
Uber 's quest to compete with owning a car has come home for CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. Like many young people, Khosrowshahi's son doesn't have his license despite being over 18. The reason: he can get around using the ride-hailing app that his father oversees, the CEO said on an episode of The Verge's Decoder podcast. "I'm still trying to get my son to get his driver's license, but Uber's freed him up," Khosrowshahi said. Uber executives have long said that they view their ride-hailing offering as an alternative to car ownership. Khosrowshahi's son and others like him show how much progress Uber may have made on that front. In 2023, about 33% of eligible drivers aged 19 or under had a license, according to data from the US Department of Transportation. In 2003, it was 45%. Ride-hailing apps like Uber, which was founded in 2009, are one of the reasons for that decline, Khosrowshahi said. "It is absolutely having an effect on car ownership," he said of the company. Uber did not respond to a request for additional comment from Business Insider. Driving is one of a few life milestones for young adults that some members of Gen Z are holding off on reaching, along with their first romantic relationships and entering the workforce. While some are waiting because of personal choice, others say economic realities are limiting what they can achieve. Khosrowshahi also said that the shift away from driving among young people marks a cultural change. For decades, many young people have gotten their driver's licenses as soon as they're old enough to. Podcast host Nilay Patel said that he got his license at 15-and-a-half while growing up in Wisconsin, for instance. "It was a goal in life," Khosrowshahi said. "It represented freedom." Uber started offering a version of its app for teens in 2023. Since then, the company has integrated rides for young people into its broader offering. It now lets parents request rides for their kids as well as share their benefits from Uber One, the company's paid subscription program. In March, Khosrowshahi said at an investor conference that teens were among the "new demographics that we're going after." The company has also introduced a streamlined version of its app for seniors to use. Khosrowshahi said that Uber doesn't keep estimates of how many people — teens or other demographic groups — might have avoided buying a car because they use Uber. But he did say on the podcast that car ownership is still "the big Kahuna" that Uber is targeting with its ride-hailing business.
Miami Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Uber CEO reveals a crucial key to business success
While both the retail and automotive sectors are both grappling with the chaos that's ensured ever since President Donald Trump announced his tariffs plan on April 2, a few select businesses have been lucky enough to be "tariff-proof." One such retailer is TJX Companies, which along with its brands TJ Maxx, Marshall's, and HomeGoods, has been rallying lately despite the trade war. That's because the discount chains buy secondhand goods from other retailers, meaning they do not have to import their products from overseas. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Another company that doesn't need to worry is beverage giant Coca-Cola. Thanks to steps the company has taken to hedge against rising aluminum costs, Coca-Cola will not feel the sting the way hundreds of thousands of other businesses will. Certain lucky business models are not affected by tariffs at all. One of those is Uber (UBER) , which relies on its users to supply their own vehicles in order to use the service. Related: Uber shares new budget-friendly pricing model When Uber reported its Q4 earnings on May 7, they looked terrific: its Q1 revenue soared a remarkable 14% year over year at $11.5 billion, with a revenue forecast to grow 12% over the next three years. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi's recent interview with The Verge addressed the rideshare company's future plans, including a new service that sounds a lot like a bus and which Khosrowshahi calls "complementary to public transit." But the CEO also shed some light on a key part of his success strategy with his company, and his advice is well worth checking out. Image source: Burkardt/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images Early in the interview, The Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel asked Khosrowshahi an interesting question: whether he "dogfoods" his own products. Dogfooding is a practice where businesses use their own products in real-world settings. When asked if he uses Uber services, including UberX and Uber Black, Khosrowshahi had some interesting insight to share. "Actually, one of the really important moves I made was starting to deliver," Khosrowshahi revealed. "Most Uber employees use Uber as consumers, but not as many use Uber as earners, as drivers, or as couriers. Early on when I joined, we were building more for the rider or the eater than the earner." Related: Uber takes aim at Tesla with its newest plan Khosrowshahi went on to say that during Covid, he felt he was "going crazy at home." The CEO's solution? To get on his e-bike and start delivering food. "Then, I got a Tesla and I started driving folks around," Khosrowshahi said. "I really do think that it's important to dogfood. You can't do it every single day, because you have a day job. But for one, you learn about your product. Just as importantly, you're setting an example for your employees." Khosrowshahi also added that Uber driving is "a lot harder than it looks." "When I first started driving, I was so nervous," he said. "I didn't want to screw up. I didn't want to take the wrong route. It's actually a lot more challenging than you think it is." The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
