As people ditch their traditional lives, Uber said Monday it is ramping up to be a “go anywhere and get anything” service, testing delivery robots, weaving in Google voice commands, and more.
As it navigates difficult economic conditions, the San Francisco-based software startup introduced changes to its platform, hoping to capitalize on a busy travel season.
“After two years of pandemic living, 2022 is looking like a sea change,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi remarked.
“One of the busiest travel seasons is upon us, a record-breaking number of weddings will be held this year, and climate is at the center of the global conversation.”
He went on to say that the Uber suite of goods was designed to allow customers” go anywhere and get anything,” extending Uber’s objective of being more than just a ride-hailing service.
“Today, we’re talking a lot about travel and reconnecting with places and people you care about,” said Jen You, Uber Rides’ head of product. “But broadly speaking, we want to be your daily one-stop shop for anything, whether it’s for travel, work, social, even personal errands.”
According to Khosrowshahi, Uber is testing autonomous, electric delivery robots in Los Angeles to transport items from small merchants to clients in communities.
The delivery bots are part of Uber’s plan to have every trip in North America and Europe run on electricity by 2030.
Uber demonstrated how it is combining its meal delivery and transportation services by allowing riders to have orders waiting for them at airport or sports stadium eateries when they arrive in a variety of places.
Uber also announced that customers would be able to connect their Google mail, calendar, and digital assistant accounts to the app to allow voice commands and journey planning assistance.
“These are all part of the ultimate vision to have more touch points with consumers across their daily activities,” You said.
Along with its rides business, Uber has an Eats food delivery arm that grew in popularity during the flu pandemic, as well as a Freight platform that connects truckers with packages in the same way it connects passengers with drivers.
To read our blog on “Uber Eats is testing automated delivery using Serve Robotics,” click here.
