Bloomberg Talks — Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi Talks Asia Growth, Robo Taxis

Date: December 12, 2025
Host: Bloomberg
Guest: Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber

Episode Overview

This episode features an exclusive interview with Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi during his visit to Asia, focusing on Uber's ambitious regional expansion, the future of autonomous vehicles (robo-taxis), strategic partnerships, and adapting to local needs—especially in North Asia. The conversation covers Uber’s regulatory challenges, collaborations with tech leaders like Baidu and Waymo, capital strategy, and the company's evolving approach toward growth in suburban and rural markets.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Uber’s Asia Growth Strategy

• Rapid Regional Growth:
  • Dara highlights the Asia-Pacific (APAC) market, especially North Asia, as a key growth driver:

    “If you look for example in the rideshare business, over 30% of our global first trips coming into the category come from the APEC region… including taxi, which is actually one of our newest products.”
    (00:51)

  • Meeting local business people and regulators is central to Uber’s integration and expansion approach.

2. Robo-Taxis and Autonomous Vehicle Rollout

• Upcoming Market Launches:
  • Uber is actively preparing for an autonomous vehicle launch in Asia, following early deployments in the Middle East.

    “We’re now live in four markets now in the US and in the Middle East and I expect to be in 10 plus markets by next year and we want those markets to be in the Asia Pacific region as well.”
    (02:11)

• Factors for Success:
  • Establishing regulatory frameworks and partnerships is critical to scaling autonomous rideshare.
• Most Likely Asian Markets:
  • Japan stands out due to its aging population and transportation needs, despite regulatory hurdles.

    “Japan has great potential…with an aging population, there’s a real need for transportation, not just in the large cities, but in the rural areas.”
    (02:45)

  • Australia and Hong Kong are noted as big focus areas.

3. Collaborations and Partnerships

• Working With Baidu and Chinese Tech:

  • Uber is open to hybrid and partner-driven approaches with leading tech firms like Baidu, WeRide, and Pony.

    “Baidu is a partner of ours… When you look at Chinese autonomous technology and the development there, they are one of the leaders on a global basis.”
    (03:47)

  • Khosrowshahi compares the ecosystem to food delivery, where direct and marketplace models can coexist:

    “The autonomous ecosystem will be the same way. There will be some direct, kind of some customers going direct. And we think that with the Uber marketplace, we can bring the kind of demand…”
    (05:39)

• Global Autonomous Network:

  • Currently operating with over 20 autonomous partners worldwide, with a view toward access (not ownership) and city-by-city rollouts.
  • On competition with Waymo:

    “It’s the same example that I gave you that in some ways the McDonald’s app is a competitor to Uber Eats and the two can coexist. And it’s very, very early in the development of autonomous.”
    (06:51)

4. Industry Dynamics & Future Outlook

• Industry Structure and Scale:

  • Khosrowshahi likens the future of robo-taxi to other massive tech sectors, predicting no single winner:

    “This is a trillion dollar plus market in terms of autonomous mobility…I think the same will be true of Autonomous. It’s an exciting technology, but there are many players getting to the finish line.”
    (07:39)

• Uber’s Moat and Competitive Edge:

  • The company’s main strength is its vast global coverage and demand aggregation, rather than just data:

    “There’s nothing secure about the technology space. There’s always innovation…more important factor in Uber is our global coverage. We operate in 70 countries.”
    (08:35)

5. Capital Strategy & Partnerships

• Innovative Fundraising:
  • Uber recently raised $1.2 billion by selling exchangeable senior bonds linked to its Aurora stake.

    “We’re now free cash flowing close to $10 billion and we expect that to increase substantially over the next couple of years.”
    (09:44)

  • On possibly doing the same with stakes in Didi and Grab:

    “We’ll be opportunistic, certainly. We love Grab, and it’s a strategic partner. Didi, of course, hasn’t gone public yet…we call it recycling the investments that we’ve made…”
    (10:32)

6. Expanding into Sparse Geographies

• Transition Beyond Big Cities:

  • Uber’s rapid growth now comes from suburban and rural (“sparse”) markets, not just urban centers:

    “Our growth in the sparse markets is anywhere from two to three times faster for mobility and delivery than in the big urban markets, even though the urban markets are growing at the same time.”
    (11:15)

  • Dara points to examples from Japan—citing communal rideshare in Kaga City—and the vital role Uber plays where public transit is lacking.

• Human Baymax:

  • Memorable anecdote about a rural Japanese Uber driver who also runs a soba shop and delivers with Uber Eats:

    “Our driver was so thankful. He actually runs a soba shop that’s on Uber Eats as well. He delivers for Uber Eats. He’s a part of our ecosystem…amazing to see that happen not just in the big cities, but also in rural destinations.”
    (12:28)

7. Competition in India and New Mobility Models

• Facing Rivals like Rapido:
  • Uber adapts by embracing two- and three-wheelers in India, using both commission and subscription models.

    “With India, really the fastest growing part of the Indian market is two wheelers and three wheelers. And the business model is different. Actually, it’s not a commission model, but it’s actually subscription model as well. Rapido is a real upstart there. But…India continues to be a hugely promising market for us.”
    (13:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The technology is absolutely getting there. These are the robot driver doesn’t get tired, doesn’t get distracted and we very much look forward to working with various authorities to introduce rideshare into the markets.”
  — Dara Khosrowshahi (01:50)

• “This is a trillion dollar plus market in terms of autonomous mobility…when you have markets that are that large, you usually don’t have winner take calls.”
  — Dara Khosrowshahi (07:39)

• “We want to be there for our stakeholders and we want to help address some of the needs of the government. In Japan in particular, rural transportation is a real need and we wanted to step up and give back to Japanese society because that market has been such a great market for us.”
  — Dara Khosrowshahi (12:04)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:51] Asia-Pacific as Uber’s main growth engine
• [01:35] Robo-taxi strategy and regulatory needs in Asia
• [02:45] Japan as a microcosm for APAC expansion
• [03:47] Partnerships with Baidu and other Chinese AV leaders
• [05:39] Competitive dynamics in the autonomous industry
• [06:33] Partnerships and competition with Waymo
• [07:39] Market scale and future of autonomous vehicles
• [09:44] Capital strategy and recent fundraising innovations
• [11:15] Sparse geographies: Uber’s new frontier
• [12:28] Anecdote about rural Uber driver in Japan
• [13:05] Competitive response in India

Tone and Conclusion

Dara Khosrowshahi’s tone is optimistic, measured, and intent on collaboration—both with regulators and technological partners. He is pragmatic about the complexities of regulation and competition, and confident in Uber’s adaptability and global demand footprint. The conversation underscores Uber’s shift from big-city dominance to a platform focused on both technological innovation (autonomous vehicles) and societal needs (mobility beyond urban centers).

This episode provides a candid look into how Uber is navigating technological transformation and geographic expansion, especially in markets shaped by demographic shifts, regulatory challenges, and intense competition.