Uber announced a partnership with Starship Technologies that will launch autonomous sidewalk robot delivery in the United Kingdom in December 2025, beginning in Leeds and expanding to Sheffield as part of the initial rollout.
Starship’s fleet of 2,700 Level 4 autonomous robots will complete deliveries in under 30 minutes for distances up to two miles, a capability that has already supported more than 9 million deliveries across seven countries and is expected to reduce Uber’s reliance on human couriers while cutting operating costs.
The partnership signals Uber’s strategic push into autonomous logistics, positioning the company to compete more aggressively in a high‑growth market. By leveraging Starship’s proven technology, Uber can offer faster, more efficient deliveries, improve margins, and advance its sustainability goals through electric robot fleets.
Uber plans to extend the service to several European countries in 2026 and to the United States in 2027, testing the technology in diverse regulatory environments and scaling operations as the autonomous delivery market matures.
Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s Global Head of Autonomous, said the collaboration “brings the future of Uber Eats to life across multiple continents, leveraging Uber’s global scale and Starship’s proven autonomy to deliver efficient and affordable experiences for consumers and merchants everywhere.” Ahti Heinla, Starship’s co‑founder and CEO, added that the partnership “builds the infrastructure that will define the next generation of urban logistics.”
Analysts upgraded Uber to a buy rating following the announcement, citing the company’s strong Q3 earnings and the strategic advantage of integrating a mature autonomous platform into its delivery network.
The rollout faces regulatory hurdles and public concerns about job displacement, but the partnership’s focus on Level 4 autonomy and electric robots positions Uber to navigate these challenges while delivering a scalable, cost‑effective solution.
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