Uber has sold its stake in Serve Robotics, a Los Angeles-based company that makes sidewalk delivery robots, after the companies diverged on how to scale robot deliveries, according to Uber’s Aug. 8 regulatory filing and Serve’s earnings call.

Serve began as a robotics unit inside Postmates and was spun out in 2021 after Uber acquired the delivery app in 2020. Uber later disclosed 15.2% beneficial ownership as of May 2024, though that filing predates the exit.

Serve said it does not plan to renew its Uber agreement when it expires in early 2027 because the companies disagree on fleet coordination and merchant integration.

Delivery volume through Uber fell for the first time since their multi-city partnership began in 2022, leading Serve to more than halve its full-year revenue outlook. Its daily active robots also fell to 792 from 812.

Serve has also taken direct orders from local restaurants in Los Angeles and logged tens of thousands of deliveries for enterprise partners such as Uber Eats and 7-Eleven.

Uber’s autonomy push relies on partnerships with more than 30 autonomous vehicle companies globally and also faces the planned end of its Waymo robotaxi arrangement in early 2028.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg