Dara Khosrowshahi has resigned from the board of autonomous vehicle technology company Aurora Innovation, citing a desire to focus on his ongoing responsibilities as Uber CEO and reduce external board commitments, according to a regulatory filing on Friday. Khosrowshahi’s resignation is effective from Tuesday. Aurora said Khosrowshahi’s decision to leave the board was not the result of disagreements with the company. The chief executives of Uber and Aurora Innovation are back. In 2020, Uber released its self-driving unit, Uber ATG, to Aurora. The deal at the time included Uber giving up its equity in ATG and investing $400 million in Aurora, giving it a 26% stake in the combined company. Khosrowshahi joined Aurora’s board as part of the deal. Through Uber Freight, Uber’s freight brokerage platform that connects shippers and carriers, the ride-hailing and shipping giant maintains its relationship with Aurora. In June, Uber and Aurora announced a multi-year collaboration to place trucks powered by Aurora technology on the Uber Freight network. Uber’s relationship with Aurora, however, is not exclusive. The company also has a deal with Waabi, a self-driving truck startup founded by Raquel Urtasun, who was previously chief scientist and head of R&D at Uber ATG. Shailen Bhatt, senior vice president and chief operating officer for AtkinsRéalis, will join Aurora’s board in Khosrowshahi’s place. Bhatt has a background working for the Federal Highway Administration. Khosrowshahi’s decision to leave the board comes weeks after Nolan Shenai, Aurora’s general counsel, indicated his intention to step down effective January 6, 2025. Ossa Fisher, Aurora’s president, will take over Shenai’s responsibilities while the company considers his successor. This article has been updated to include information about Aurora’s new board members and other recent executive departures.
