“There will be people flying around Dallas, Texas,” CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said at the DLD tech conference in Munich, according to Bloomberg Technology. “I think it’s going to happen within the next 10 years.”
The conference was Khosrowshahi’s first public appearance in Europe since he became the ride-sharing company’s CEO last year.
While Khosrowshahi believes that an increase in electric cars can help ease traffic in congested cities, he admits that fully autonomous vehicles are another 10 to 15 years away. There is still much work to be done creating 3D maps, not to mention the high costs of the sensors needed for the vehicles to work on their own.
In the meantime, Uber is planning to expand further into Europe, despite the struggles it has had in the region. Uber’s service lasted less than two years in the German cities of Hamburg and Düsseldorf. And last year, the company was forced to shut down in Denmark, while London stripped Uber of its license to operate in the city. The company has also faced fierce opposition from cab drivers in Paris and Madrid, who have at times responded violently to Uber’s presence.
Still, Khosrowshahi said the company plans to launch in additional cities in Germany this year, as well as have a hybrid or electric fleet in London “if they let us back in.” He also mentioned that Uber Eats is “absolutely exploding,” even going so far as to estimate that it will be the largest food delivery company in the world this year.
“We are now going from growth at all costs to responsible growth,” Khosrowshahi said, adding that Uber is dedicated to doing “the right thing, period.”
