Uber is making big moves into hotels and robotaxis, but its chief product officer says the company has no interest in becoming a super-app that tries to do everything for everyone. Sachin Kansal, Uber’s Chief Product Officer, recently outlined the company’s strategic direction in an interview with TechCrunch.
Uber’s focus on hotels and robotaxis
Kansal explained that Uber is systematically expanding its ecosystem beyond ride-hailing and food delivery. The company is prioritizing travel infrastructure, including hotels, and pushing forward with robotaxi development. According to HyperAI, Uber aims to serve as a curated platform for these services rather than trying to be everything for everyone.
Why Uber rejects the super-app model
Unlike some competitors that aim to offer a wide range of services from banking to shopping, Uber is taking a more focused approach. Kansal emphasized that the company does not want to be a super-app. Instead, Uber is concentrating on areas where it can add real value for riders and drivers. This includes embedded financial services, which Kansal walked TechCrunch through as part of the company’s financial-services ambitions.
Uber’s complicated relationship with Waymo
Kansal also addressed Uber’s increasingly complicated relationship with Waymo, the autonomous driving company. While Uber is investing in its own robotaxi efforts through its new AV Labs data operation, it continues to partner with Waymo in some markets. The dynamic reflects the broader tension in the autonomous vehicle industry, where companies are both collaborators and competitors.
How AI is changing the Uber experience
Artificial intelligence is starting to show up in ways that riders and drivers will actually notice, Kansal said. Uber is using AI to improve matching, pricing, and overall efficiency. The company’s new AV Labs data operation is designed to accelerate the development of autonomous driving technology by leveraging Uber’s vast data on trips and traffic patterns.
Our Take: A smart strategy in a crowded market
In our view, Uber’s decision to reject the super-app model is a wise one. Trying to be everything for everyone often leads to spreading resources too thin. By focusing on hotels, robotaxis, and financial services — areas where it already has a foothold — Uber can build deeper, more profitable offerings. The company’s cautious approach to autonomous driving, balancing partnerships with Waymo and internal development, also shows strategic discipline. For riders and drivers, this means more targeted improvements rather than a confusing array of unrelated services.
