Uber’s robotaxi riders leave behind strange treasures

robotaxi riders – Uber’s annual Lost and Found Index is revealing a familiar truth—people keep forgetting things in vehicles—even when the driver is a robot. The index lists everything from a unicorn Beanie Baby and a 15-pound bowling ball to dentures and designer wallets, and

On a year when Uber has quietly gathered enough self-driving cars on its platform to count them as a category, the strangest part might be what passengers keep leaving behind.

A unicorn Beanie Baby. A 15-pound green bowling ball. A pair of dentures. These are among the items Uber says riders have abandoned in robotaxis over the past year. according to its annual Lost and Found Index—and for the first time. the company is expanding its annual accounting of forgotten items in Uber vehicles to include self-driving cars.

Uber doesn’t run its own robotaxis. Instead. in the past few years it has become a kind of hub for driverless car companies that want access to Uber’s millions of customers. In the US, that includes Waymo in Austin and Atlanta, Motional in Las Vegas, and Avride in Dallas. Even though robotaxis represent less than 1 percent of all Uber trips. Uber says the volume is enough for robotaxis to show up in its Lost and Found reporting.

The list of the most commonly forgotten items is almost predictable, regardless of who—or what—drives. Uber says forgotten phones are the top category, ranging from iPhones and flip phones to Androids and Galaxy models. Beyond devices, the usual suspects also appear frequently: wallets, keys, headphones, glasses, driver’s licenses, and passports.

Then come the leftovers that feel like accidental time capsules from rides taken in a hurry. Among the offbeat items Uber includes are a jumbo yo-yo. a large black marble duck. a Squishmallow. a Charli XCX poster. a Smurf keychain. and a bag that says “I Heart Hot Dads.” The bowling ball and Beanie Baby make the cut too—and Uber says the dentures did make their way back to their owner.

Clothing, as always, turns out to be a frequent casualty of forgetting. Uber lists cowboy hats. red Sonic the Hedgehog Crocs. a Terry Black’s trucker hat. a Harley-Davidson sweater. and a blue cap that reads “Emotional Support Human.” The company also says nearly every major designer is represented. including wallets and purses from Yves Saint Laurent. Chanel. Coach. Louis Vuitton. Prada. Dior. and Hermès. Uber even says someone left behind a white Gucci blanket.

The mechanics of getting these items back work a little differently for robotaxis than for human-driven vehicles. After a rider flags a lost item in the Uber app. customers can DM or chat with a US-based customer support agent. who collects details about what’s missing. If the item is found, Uber dispatches one of its couriers to return it for a flat $15 fee. Uber also offers riders the chance to pick up items from a vehicle depot where robotaxis are charged and maintained. The company says the process is run through its newly created Autonomous Solutions program. which is intended to standardize robotaxi procedures.

“With tens of millions of lost items reported on Uber each year, we’ve spent the last decade building systems that help riders quickly and seamlessly reunite with their belongings,” Amy Satrom, global head of autonomous support at Uber, said in a statement.

That system could scale fast. Uber says it aims to facilitate AV trips in as many as 15 cities globally by the end of this year, with an even split between US and international markets. And by 2029, Uber says its goal is to become the largest robotaxi broker in the world.

Still, what stands out in the Lost and Found list is the emotional logic of the everyday: technology can be new, but people aren’t suddenly better at remembering where they left their things.

Sometimes, though, the robotaxi does get blamed. A San Jose resident said a Waymo drove off with his luggage after dropping him off at the airport. The company located his luggage, but initially said it couldn’t pay for the shipping costs to return it. After the man reported the problem to local news, Waymo said it would cover the costs.

Uber robotaxis lost and found autonomous solutions Waymo Motional Avride lost items self-driving cars customer support