Confronted with intense rivalry in the autonomous driving arena from competitors such as Alphabet's Waymo, Uber is forging partnerships with driver associations in a bid to decelerate the proliferation of self-driving taxis. In the U.S., Uber is urging a more gradual introduction of autonomous vehicles to lessen the repercussions on drivers and is championing the creation of a 'blended operational framework' where self-driving cars and human drivers operate side by side to deliver services. Nevertheless, rivals and pertinent analysts note that Uber's focus on job security and societal concerns is largely motivated by its own vested interests. Despite Uber's long-standing investment in autonomous driving technology, its advancements significantly trail those of its primary competitor, Waymo.
