Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Daimler to Bring Self-Driving Mercedes-Benz Cars to Uber

Daimler will eventually offer self-driving Mercedes-Benz vehicles on Uber's ride-hailing platform under a new partnership between the two companies announced Jan. 31.

by Staff
January 31, 2017
Daimler to Bring Self-Driving Mercedes-Benz Cars to Uber

Fleet managers test out the 2017 E-Class in July. Photo by Paul Clinton.

2 min to read


Fleet managers test out the 2017 E-Class in July. Photo by Paul Clinton.

Daimler will eventually offer self-driving Mercedes-Benz vehicles on Uber's ride-hailing platform under a new partnership between the two companies announced Jan. 31.

The companies didn't announce a specific timetable for the arrival of the vehicles, beyond Daimler's plan to add them to the Uber network "in the coming years." The vehicles will be offered in many of Uber's 74 global markets.

Ad Loading...

The move fits in with Daimler's corporate strategy called CASE, an acronym for Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Services, and Electric. In January of 2016, Mercedes-Benz earned a test license for autonomous driving with its 2017 E-Class on Nevada roads.

"Mobility service providers offer an ideal platform for autonomous driving technology and Uber is a leading mobility platform company," said Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

Uber's co-founder Travis Kalanick said the company views autonomous vehicles as a way to "further our mission of bringing reliable transportation to everyone, everywhere. They will also help to reduce traffic accidents, which today kill many people a year; free up the huge amount of space currently used to park the world’s billion-plus cars; and cut congestion, which is choking our cities."

Uber has elected not to attempt to manufacture self-driving vehicles, and instead partner with automakers such as Daimler.

"Auto manufacturers like Daimler are crucial to our strategy because Uber has no experience making cars — and in fact, making cars is really hard," Kalanick wrote in a blog post. "This became very clear to me after I visited an auto manufacturing plant and saw how much effort goes into designing, testing and building cars."

Originally posted on Automotive Fleet

More Rental Operations

display of Turo's FSD homepage
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 28, 2026

Turo and Tesla Take the Next Step Toward Autonomous Car Rentals

The partnership brings Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology into the rental experience, offering a glimpse of how increasingly automated vehicles could change car rental.

Read More →
Two identical rental cars, two different prices
Rental Operations•Cover Story•October 26, 2026

How Rental Operators Can Navigate Personalized Pricing Rules

As regulators scrutinize the use of customer data in pricing, rental operators need to know whether they can explain why one renter pays more than another.

Read More →
a laptop shows different connectivity paths for car rental supply
Rental Operations•October 23, 2026

Direct, Broker or Hybrid? How Travel Retailers Source Rental Cars

As travel retailers weigh direct supplier relationships against third-party distribution, rental operators need to understand how those decisions affect their business.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
thumbnail of title and photo of Joel Price and Chris Brown
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 20, 2026

How Did This Independent Rental Operator Grow to 170 Vehicles in 4 Years?

With 170 vehicles across three Kentucky locations, Joel Price relies on an overseas team to handle reservations, payments, and after-hours customer service. It's one part of an unconventional approach to growing an independent rental operation.

Read More →
thumbnail what does it take to succeed in b2b rentals
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

What Does It Take to Succeed in B2B Rentals?

The fundamentals may be familiar to daily car rental operators, but project-based truck rentals put different demands on the fleet and the business.

Read More →
Photo of Ana Laborde and world map
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings

With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Rental car agent shows woman her choice of rental car
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 7, 2026

Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study

While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.

Read More →
an exotic car wrapped in an insurance policy
Rental Operations•October 1, 2026

The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals

Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.

Read More →
globe of world and drivers license from UK
Rental Operations•September 28, 2026

The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?

For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Scenes from Car Rental Shows past
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 23, 2026

ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers

The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.

Read More →
Ad Loading...