Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick may be on the cusp of a return to the company, aiming to bolster Uber's competitive edge in autonomous driving by facilitating the acquisition of Pony.ai's US operations. This strategic move is designed to address challenges posed by competitors such as Waymo. If the deal materializes, it is rumored that Kalanick will oversee the operations of Pony.ai's US subsidiary, although negotiations between the parties are still in their nascent stages. Since its inception in 2016, Pony.ai has secured autonomous driving licenses in both China and the US, and last year went public in the US with a market valuation of approximately $4.5 billion. This potential partnership underscores the swift transformation autonomous driving technology is bringing to the ride-hailing industry. Uber's current CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, anticipates that ride-hailing platforms will soon feature a mix of human and robot drivers within the next few years.