Uber has Atlanta’s autonomous ride-hailing and delivery market on lock

Uber has solidified its dominance in Atlanta’s autonomous ride-hailing and delivery market by partnering with Serve Robotics to introduce sidewalk delivery robots for Uber Eats customers. This launch marks Serve’s fourth commercial city after Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Unlike competitors focusing on college campuses, Serve targets urban environments, which CEO Ali Kashani believes present a more complex challenge and greater revenue potential. Uber currently operates an annual run rate of 1.5 million autonomous vehicle (AV) trips across its network, leveraging partnerships with 18 AV companies to maintain a first-mover advantage in consumer-facing autonomy. In Atlanta, Uber Eats customers can opt for robot deliveries across metro areas including Midtown, Old Fourth Ward, and Downtown, with service hours from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Participating restaurants include Rreal Tacos, Ponko Chicken, and Shake Shack. While Serve did not disclose the exact number of deployed robots at launch, it plans to expand beyond the approximately 100