Travis Kalanick, the controversial co-founder of Uber, is launching a new robotics company called Atoms. The firm aims to disrupt the food, mining, and transportation sectors with specialized robots, not humanoid designs. This marks Kalanick’s return to the automation space after a turbulent exit from Uber, where he previously spearheaded a self-driving car division.
From Ghost Kitchens to Industrial Robots
Atoms isn’t entirely new. Kalanick is integrating his existing ghost kitchen company, CloudKitchens, into the venture. The core idea is to build a standardized “wheelbase” for robots, adapting them for specific industrial tasks. This approach sidesteps the complexity of humanoid robots, focusing instead on efficiency in high-demand sectors. Kalanick emphasized that he intends to dominate the industrial segment of robotics.
Acquisition of Pronto: Mining and Industrial Focus
To bolster its mining capabilities, Atoms is poised to acquire Pronto, an autonomous vehicle startup founded by Kalanick’s former Uber colleague, Anthony Levandowski. Kalanick has already been the largest investor in Pronto. This move signals a clear intention to target the rugged, high-stakes environments of mining and industrial sites. The company remains noncommittal regarding personal transport applications at this time, though Kalanick acknowledged the potential once physical movement is mastered.
Kalanick’s History with Self-Driving Tech
Kalanick’s history in the self-driving space is marred by legal battles and controversy. He previously poached Anthony Levandowski from Google, leading to a high-profile trade secret lawsuit settled with Waymo. Levandowski would later face criminal charges and serve time in prison for his role in the affair, only to receive a pardon from President Trump. Uber’s own self-driving program faced further tragedy with a fatal pedestrian accident in 2018 before being sold off entirely in 2020.
A Second Attempt at Aggressive Automation
Recent reports suggest Kalanick may have also explored acquiring the US arm of Chinese self-driving firm Pony AI, though those talks reportedly stalled. Kalanick has publicly expressed regret over Uber’s decision to abandon its autonomous vehicle development. His ambition remains clear: he aims to outpace Waymo in aggressively rolling out self-driving technology, potentially with backing from Uber itself.
This venture represents a bold attempt by Kalanick to reclaim his position at the forefront of disruptive technology. The success of Atoms will depend on whether it can avoid the pitfalls of his previous endeavors while executing on a clear industrial automation strategy.
