On June 26, 2025, The New York Times revealed that former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is in discussions to acquire the U.S. arm of autonomous vehicle pioneer Pony.ai. Kalanick is said to be assembling a consortium of investors—potentially including Uber Technologies Inc.—to finance the transaction and gain a foothold in the rapidly evolving robotaxi market.

The U.S. division, incorporated in Delaware, holds key regulatory permits and proprietary source code that Pony.ai forked off in 2022 for its American operations. Acquiring this arm would grant Kalanick immediate access to U.S. AV testing licenses and commercialization pathways, accelerating any deployment plans without having to build permits and infrastructure from scratch.

Uber’s possible involvement reflects its sustained interest in autonomous mobility, even after divesting its in-house self-driving unit in 2020. For Pony.ai, a deal could bring fresh capital and strategic guidance, while for Kalanick it represents a return to the forefront of AV innovation—nearly eight years after he left Uber. Market reaction was swift: Pony.ai’s U.S.–listed shares jumped double digits on the news, underscoring investor optimism about the potential synergies.

Tags: Pony.ai, Robotaxi, Acquisition