Uber chief extends ‘welcome’ toWaymo

Is it possible Uber and Alphabet-ownedWaymomight be about to let bygones be bygones?

That seems to be the sentiment offered up by Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi, who, while at the Code Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, addressed the matter of the two self-driving car technology companies possibly working together.

On Wednesday, Khosrowshahi said Uber would “welcome Waymo to put cars in our network,” which could be seen as an olive branch being extended toward the company with which Uber recently settled a lawsuit over self-driving car technology.

In that suit, Waymo accused Uber of stealing trade secrets related to self-driving car technology, and sought $1.8 billion in damages fromUber. In February, the companies settled the suit, with Waymo acquiring around $245 million worth of Uber equity and a pledge from Uber to not use Waymo’s technology in its autonomous-car projects.

Working with Waymo could provide a public-relations boost for Uber. The company has put a halt on all of its self-driving car testing operations in North America following the death of a pedestrian who was struck by an Uber car in Tempe, Arizona, in March. The car, which was operating in selfdriving mode, also had a driver assistant in the passenger seat at the time of the accident.

Uber is said to be planning on resuming testing of its driverless cars later this year. Contact Rex Crum at 408278-3415.