Travis Kalanick's Atoms reported to be preparing a robotaxi business

Atoms, the company founded by Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick, raised $1.7 billion this summer in a round led by Andreessen Horowitz without saying in detail what the money was for. According to the Financial Times, the startup is preparing a hiring push and acquisitions aimed at the autonomous vehicle market, and has discussed with Uber how the ride-hailing company might use Atoms' robotaxi technology.

Uber has invested $100 million in Atoms, a figure TechCrunch confirmed earlier. Atoms also acquired Pronto, an autonomous mining startup led by Anthony Levandowski, Uber's former head of self-driving. Sources cited by the FT said robotaxis are not the whole of Atoms' plans. Kalanick has described the round as "unfinished business".