--- title: "Uber Said to Be Developing Self-Steering Bikes and Scooters" description: "Uber is developing self-steering bikes and scooters meant to charge themselves, according to former Wired editor-in-chief Chris Anderson." date: "2019-01-21" modified: "2019-01-21" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/uber-self-steering-bikes-scooters" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "autonomous" - "scooter" - "the digest" - "Uber" --- # Uber Said to Be Developing Self-Steering Bikes and Scooters ![At a robotics event in Oakland over the weekend, Uber's Advanced Technologies Group announced it's hiring a team of "micromobility robotics" specialists.]() *\Image: Jump Bikes\* ## Scooter Clutter Bike and scooter sharing companies have been [cluttering the streets]() of major cities around the world for some years now. And [not everybody's happy]() — when they're not returned to a charging station, they can quickly become a nuisance to pedestrians. But if the latest reports are to be believed, those scooters and bikes could soon return themselves to a charging station, with no human intervention required, thanks to rideshare giant Uber. ## Autonomous Bikes Details are sparse as to what Uber is planning. But 3D Robotics CEO and former *Wired* editor-in-chief Chris Anderson confirmed that the micromobility robotics team would "live in Uber's Jump group" [in a tweet]() over the weekend, referring to a scooter company Uber acquired last year. He [also suggested]() the team could help the company make scooters and bikes autonomous, writing that the devices would be able to "drive themselves to charging or better locations." ## Self-Charging Having bikes and scooters return themselves to chargers could not only declutter streets and sidewalks, but also give Uber a logistical and financial advantage. As of today, other scooter-sharing companies like Lime offer anybody who's willing to charge its scooters (["Juicers"]()) a small amount of money (between $5 and $20, depending on a number of factors). Autonomous scooters or bikes could eliminate that need entirely. But the technology still many years out. After all, we are still in the early stages of [figuring out]() how to share the streets with autonomous vehicles. **READ MORE:** [Uber e-bikes could drive, park, and charge themselves]() \[*TechCrunch*\] ***More on electric bikes: [Ducati Is Working on a Futuristic Electric Motorcycle]()*** ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()