Human drivers will have safe employment for the next ten years, according to Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, but after that, a different kind of driver will replace them.
Crucial Lessons
Self-driving cars, or autonomous vehicles, will replace human Uber drivers in the next ten to twenty years, according to Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.
According to him, Uber is making investments in methods for drivers to earn extra cash, such as assisting AI firms in creating their algorithms.
Compared to the same period last year, drivers and couriers made $18.1 billion in the third quarter of 2024, a 14% rise.
Last year, according to a Creative Fabrica survey, rideshare driving was the most searched side gig, receiving almost 31,000 monthly Google searches. Uber alone employs over seven million drivers and delivery workers each month.
Dara Khosrowshahi, the CEO of Uber, stated in an interview on Friday that driving for Uber is only a safe job for the ensuing ten years. Following that, self-driving automobiles, or autonomous vehicles, will replace the current human-driven routes.
At the WSJ Journal House in Davos, Khosrowshahi told Wall Street Journal reporter Joanna Stern, “I believe that in 15 to 20 years, autonomous drivers will outperform human drivers.” Due to their lifetime of driving experience, they will be able to drive without distraction.
Over a million automobile deaths occur annually, and Khosrowshahi noted that self-driving cars might make travel safer.
Related: San Francisco Traffic Congestion Raised by Self-Driving Cars Raises Concerns About Safety
The lawmaker went on, “I believe that human displacement here will occur someday, even though it won’t happen today. Furthermore, it is an issue that society and we both need to consider.
When researchers at the University of Central California combined data from 3,5,000 accidents involving human drivers and 2,100 accidents involving autonomous vehicles, they found that autonomous vehicles are typically safer than human-operated vehicles in the majority of situations. But as compared to human-driven vehicles, self-driving cars are five times more likely to be involved in collisions during the day.
Autonomous cars now have limited areas of origination, destination, and overall areas of operation, according to Khosrowshahi, who acknowledged these limitations. The initial expenses, which include the cost of route mapping, are high, and the hardware isn’t as sophisticated as it must be for broad use.
“Over the next ten years, autonomous vehicles will begin by augmenting what humans can do, rather than taking over all at once,” he stated. Taking over the simpler roads will be their first move.
Related: 50,000 Weekly Trips Made by Waymo’s Driverless Robotaxi Fleet: Where the Vehicles Are Going Next
According to Khosrowshahi, hybrid networks of humans and machines will be prevalent during the next ten years.
What drivers of Uber stand to gain from autonomous vehicles
Khosrowshahi claims that autonomous cars are causing the company to reevaluate the potential revenue streams for Uber earnings.
Uber started out as a driving business before expanding to include food delivery and retail. These days, there are two groups: one that classifies maps and the other that helps AI companies develop their algorithms. All of these offer extra sources of income to Uber drivers.
The implications for Uber drivers of autonomous vehicles
Autonomous vehicles, according to Khosrowshahi, are forcing the firm to reconsider how Uber employees may profit.
Uber began by providing car services before branching out to include food delivery and shopping. Currently, one group is categorizing maps, and another is assisting AI businesses with the development of their algorithms. These all offer Uber drivers new sources of revenue.
