Travis Kalanick's autonomous vehicle startup Atoms has acquired Pronto and hired its founder Anthony Levandowski to lead robotaxi development. Uber has invested $100 million in the venture.
Atoms, the autonomous vehicle company founded by former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, is moving deeper into robotaxi technology following the acquisition of Pronto and the hiring of Anthony Levandowski as a key executive.
Levandowski, who previously founded Pronto, will lead the company's autonomous driving efforts. The acquisition marks a significant technical addition to Atoms' team as the startup scales its self-driving ambitions.
The development signals Kalanick's continued focus on autonomous mobility after his departure from Uber in 2017. Atoms has been building autonomous vehicle capabilities since its founding, and the Pronto acquisition represents a consolidation of engineering talent in the space.
Uber's $100 million investment in Atoms adds notable backing to the effort. The ride-hailing giant has its own autonomous vehicle program but has also maintained external partnerships and investments in the self-driving sector. The investment suggests confidence in Atoms' technical direction, even as Uber pursues its own robotaxi timeline.
Levandowski's role brings extensive self-driving experience to Atoms. His background in autonomous technology spans multiple ventures in the sector, making him a seasoned hire for leading technical development.
Atoms is reportedly gearing up for a hiring spree to expand its engineering and operations teams. The company's trajectory suggests ambitions to move beyond current development phases toward deployment of autonomous vehicles.
The arrangement creates an interesting dynamic: Uber backing a competitor founded by its former leader. However, the investment structure indicates the companies see complementary paths forward in autonomous mobility rather than direct conflict.
Atoms joins a crowded field of autonomous vehicle startups pursuing robotaxi deployment, including Waymo, Aurora, and others. The sector remains focused on solving technical and regulatory challenges before widespread commercial deployment.
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