Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi resigned from the board of Aurora Innovation, a self-driving technology company, effective December 31, 2024. According to a regulatory filing on January 3, 2025, Khosrowshahi said he wanted to focus on his responsibilities at Uber and limit commitments to external boards. His resignation comes in the wake of news that general counsel for Aurora, Nolan Shenai, will be leaving the company effective January 6, 2025.
Did Khosrowshahi’s Departure from Aurora Signal a Weakening of the Partnership?
Khosrowshahi joined Uber back in 2017 and has led the company through its most challenging time and transformation periods. Uber sold Uber ATG to Aurora, a self-driving unit, in 2020 as it began to shift strategies towards focusing on its core business. As part of this deal, Uber invested $400 million in Aurora and also gained a significant 26% stake in the combined entity.
As part of this transaction, Khosrowshahi joined the board of Aurora, marking an important relationship between the two companies. However, though Khosrowshahi resigned from the board, the company does not seem to have cut ties with Aurora. It has continued to partner through Uber Freight, a platform that connects shippers and carriers.
Leadership Transitions at Aurora Innovation
In June 2024, they announced a multi-layer collaboration, through which they aim to integrate trucks powered by Aurora’s autonomous technology into the Uber Freight network. This is a testament to Uber’s continued commitment to using autonomous vehicle technology to improve its logistics.
It is also worth noting that Uber’s deal with Aurora is not an exclusive one. Uber has also allied itself with Waabi, another self-driving technology firm founded by Raquel Urtasun, who had previously led research and development at Uber ATG. This is a dual approach that allows Uber to diversify its investments in autonomous vehicle technology while continuing to innovate within its operational framework.
He will depart the board, and Shailen Bhatt will succeed him. Bhatt is a Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for AtkinsRéalis and has experience working in the transportation and infrastructure market.
Aurora announces a significant appointment as it gets ready for April 2025 when its driverless trucks will become commercially available.
Most analysts were not expecting the timing of Khosrowshahi’s resignation, especially with the news announcement about Shenai leaving the company. Ossa Fischer, currently president at Aurora, will succeed Shenai as general counsel.
The moves are seen as a transition period for Aurora as it continues to adapt to the competitive landscape of autonomous vehicle technology.
Dara Khosrowshahi resigned from the board of Aurora Innovation, saying he will focus on his role at Uber, considering a changing business landscape. The companies are now moving forward in their own ways through the rapidly shifting transportation technology space, and the collaboration will be critical in the development of more autonomous logistics and freight services.
New joiners to the leadership team at Aurora will strengthen its strategic direction as it gears up for a series of developments in the years ahead.
