Yet to have a profitable year, Uber has had to deal with a multitude of problems over the last few years. In 2017 founder Travis Kalanick stepped down as CEO over sexual misconduct allegations. Last year Uber's licence to operate in London was revoked by the city's transport authority, Transport for London. Uber has already had to cancel a self-driving truck program in 2018 after having spent over $925 million on it. Accordingly, investors may be forgiven for treating the revival of the AV program with scepticism. However, McKinsey estimates that roughly 15% of all automobiles sold in 2030 will be fully autonomous. By investing in the technology early on, Uber can gain first mover advantage. Not only would this give it a firm foothold in a growing sector, but it would also be ahead of its competitors. For now, it remains to be seen if Uber's foray into self-driving cars will contribute to its financial woes or whether the investment will pay off long term.