Dara Khosrowshahi is leaving the autonomous vehicle technology company Aurora because she wants to focus on her continued responsibilities as Uber's CEO and reduce her involvement with independent directors, according to a regulatory filing on Friday.・Resigns as director of Innovation.
Khosrowshahi's resignation was effective as of Tuesday. Aurora said Khosrowshahi's decision to step down as director was not due to disagreements with the company.
The origins of Uber's CEO and Aurora Innovation go back a long way. In 2020, Uber offloaded its own self-driving unit, Uber ATG, to Aurora. The deal at the time was for Uber to sell its stake in ATG and invest $400 million in Aurora, taking a 26% stake in the combined company. Mr. Khosrowshahi joined Aurora's board of directors as part of the transaction.
The ride-hailing and delivery giant maintained its connection with Aurora through Uber Freight, Uber's freight brokerage platform that connects shippers and carriers. In June, Uber and Aurora announced a multi-year partnership to bring trucks equipped with Aurora technology to the Uber Freight network.
However, the relationship between Uber and Aurora is not exclusive. The company also has an agreement with Waabi, a self-driving truck startup founded by Raquel Urtasun, former chief scientist and head of research and development at Uber ATG.
Shailen Butt, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Atkins Realis, will join Aurora's board of directors in place of Khosrowshahi. Mr. Butt previously worked for the Federal Highway Administration.
Mr. Khosrowshahi's decision to step down from the board comes several weeks after Aurora's general counsel Nolan Shenai announced his intention to resign effective January 6, 2025. Aurora President Ossa Fischer will assume Mr. Shenai's responsibilities while Aurora considers his replacement.
This article has been updated to include information about Aurora's new board members and the recent departure of another executive.