Atoms eyes robotaxi market after $1.7 billion funding boost

Atoms, the autonomous-vehicle venture founded by former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, closed a $1.7 billion funding round headed by Andreessen Horowitz. The capital influx is expected to fund a large hiring campaign and a series of acquisitions aimed at positioning Atoms as a major player in the robotaxi arena. According to sources, the startup has been in talks with Uber about deploying its robotaxi platform, complementing Uber’s existing collaborations with other self-driving firms.

Uber has already invested $100 million in Atoms, a figure previously reported. Although robotaxis are only part of Atoms’ broader strategy, the focus matches Kalanick’s comment that the financing represents "unfinished business." The firm’s recent purchase of Pronto, an autonomous mining company led by former Uber self-driving chief Anthony Levandowski, underscores its ambition to expand across autonomous-technology markets.