Uber reports thousands of items left behind in robotaxis
As Uber scales its autonomous vehicle partnerships with Waymo, Motional and Avride, the company utilises existing support infrastructure to reunite riders with forgotten belongings.
Uber has released its annual Lost & Found Index, revealing that thousands of items were left behind in robotaxis across its network over the past year. The report highlights that despite the absence of human drivers, passengers continue to forget belongings such as phones, wallets, dentures and toys. Uber states that its existing support infrastructure, including the Uber Courier service and AV depots, is being utilised to reunite riders with their lost property.
The data underscores the rapid scaling of Uber’s autonomous vehicle partnerships, including services with Waymo in Austin and Atlanta, and Motional in Las Vegas. Specific unusual items recovered include a set of dentures, an “I Heart Hot Dads” bag, a blue hat reading “Emotional Support Human,” a 15-pound yo-yo, a large black marble duck, a Squishmallow and a Charli XCX poster.
Uber has launched “Waymo on Uber” in Austin in March 2025 and Atlanta, and added Motional in Las Vegas and Avride in Dallas, though the latter two still employ human safety operators. The recovery process for robotaxis mirrors standard Uber rides: users contact support via the app, and items can be returned via Uber Courier for $15 or collected in person at an AV depot.
Uber announced “Uber Autonomous Solutions” in February, a new division offering software and support services for autonomous vehicle operations. Amy Satrom, global head of autonomous support at Uber, stated that the company has spent the last decade building systems to help riders reunite with their belongings, and is now bringing that expertise to AVs by combining fleet operations and support teams.
Uber plans to offer robotaxi rides in up to 15 cities globally by the end of the year and aims to be the largest facilitator of AV trips by 2029. The annual Lost & Found Index, published for 10 years, provides an anthropological snapshot of rider behaviour, with previous reports including items such as live fish, an ankle monitor, a toboggan, a package of live butterflies and a single Louboutin shoe.
