The partnership builds on Uber’s strategy of integrating others’ autonomous systems into its ride-hail network, adding to existing deals with Waymo, WeRide, and Avride.

Tesla and Musk are synonymous. Most Americans cannot name the chairperson of Waymo or Volkswagen or Uber. For better or worse, that means that if one of those people wears a dumb t-shirt or makes a controversially questionable arm motion (unless they do so in a very public setting with the entire world watching), we're unlikely to know or care.

Volkswagen of America and Uber on Thursday unveiled an ambitious plan to launch a commercial robotaxi service — using autonomous electric VW ID. BUZZ