Travis Kalanick launches a new company called Atoms focused on robotics

Travis Kalanick, the founder of Uber, has officially launched his latest enterprise, Atoms, which is set to focus on robotics with applications in sectors such as food, mining, and transportation. Notably, Atoms will incorporate Kalanick's existing ghost kitchen venture, CloudKitchens, into its framework. However, the specifics regarding how the company will approach the mining and transportation industries remain ambiguous. According to Atoms' website, the company aims to create a "wheelbase for robots." In a recent live interview with TBPN, Kalanick emphasized that Atoms will concentrate on developing "specialized robots" rather than humanoids. He stated, "Humanoids have their place, but there’s a lot of room for specialized robots that do things in an efficient, sort of industrial-scale kind of way, which is sort of where we play." Earlier reports indicated that Kalanick may re-enter the realm of self-driving vehicles, potentially with significant support from Uber. He has expressed intentions to be more proactive in the rollout of self-driving technology compared to competitors like Waymo. However, there was no immediate response from Uber regarding these developments, and Atoms' website does not reference the ride-hailing giant. Additionally, Kalanick is reportedly contemplating the acquisition of Pronto, an autonomous vehicle startup that focuses on industrial and mining applications. This company was co-founded by Anthony Levandowski, a former colleague at Uber, though there is no mention of Pronto or Levandowski on the Atoms website. In the past year, Kalanick had shown interest in purchasing the U.S. division of the Chinese self-driving company Pony AI with Uber's backing, but those discussions have since ceased. Kalanick's resignation from Uber in 2017 followed a series of scandals, including allegations of sexual harassment, leading to extensive internal investigations and the dismissal of over 20 employees. Kalanick previously established Uber's self-driving division in 2015, with Levandowski playing a crucial role after transitioning from Google. This initiative ultimately led to a legal battle with Google over intellectual property theft, resulting in a settlement but also criminal charges against Levandowski, who later received a pardon from President Trump. After Kalanick's departure, Uber continued to develop its self-driving technology, even amid a tragic incident in 2018 when a test vehicle fatally struck a pedestrian. Kalanick's successor, Dara Khosrowshahi, eventually sold the division to Aurora in 2020. In a rare interview earlier this year, Kalanick expressed regret over Uber's decision to abandon its self-driving car project. This article will continue to be updated with the latest information regarding Atoms and its trajectory.