Uber plans to develop self-driving electric scooters and bicycles

Electric scooter and bicycle-sharing services, including Uber’s Jump business as well as competitors Bird and Lime, allow customers to collect the vehicles and then leave them on the pavement outside their destination.

The businesses then pay contractors to collect, charge and repair the scooters and bicycles overnight when they’re not in use. It’s a costly logistical operation which significantly reduces profits for the operators.