Atoms, the startup founded by Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick, is preparing to enter the autonomous vehicle sector following a $1.7 billion funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz. According to a report from the Financial Times, the company is planning a major hiring push and potential acquisitions to build out its robotaxi technology stack.
Atoms has held preliminary discussions with Uber regarding the deployment of its autonomous vehicle technology on the ride-hailing network. Uber has directly backed the startup with a $100 million investment, according to confirmed reports. The startup’s autonomous vehicle ambitions are further evidenced by its acquisition of Pronto, an autonomous mining company led by former Uber self-driving chief Anthony Levandowski.
While sources noted that robotaxis do not represent the full scope of Atoms’ operational plans, the strategy positions Kalanick to re-enter the commercial autonomous transport market. The company has not formally detailed its full product roadmap following the capital raise.
Why it matters
Atoms’ massive $1.7B mega-round signals renewed venture capital appetite for capital-intensive autonomous vehicle technologies.
Uber continues to consolidate its position as a primary distribution partner and investor for third-party autonomous vehicle fleets.
M&A activity in autonomous driving is accelerating as well-funded startups acquire niche domain expertise to speed up commercialization.
Source: techcrunch.com
