Tesla won’t let its upcoming robotaxi service operate on Uber‘s platform, even as the company’s technology enables a major breakthrough for traditional car-sharing operations.
On October 1, 2025, Invers announced a hardware-free integration that lets professional car-sharing services add Tesla vehicles to their fleets without installing any extra equipment. The solution works by enhancing Tesla’s existing API rather than replacing it with new technology.
Alexander Kirn, Invers’ CEO, said Tesla’s API is the first from a car manufacturer that’s proven suitable for professional car-sharing at scale. Operators can authorize their Tesla vehicles once, then add anywhere from one car to thousands without visiting a workshop.
The system accesses essential data points like location, mileage, charging status, and central locking through Tesla’s connected car capabilities. It also tracks adapter usage, monitors seatbelt status, and automatically clears route history between rentals. Guest Mode turns on automatically when each rental starts to protect vehicle settings.
Invers designed the integration to control costs by reducing unnecessary data requests and managing Tesla’s “sleep” modes during sharing operations. The technology eliminates hardware installation expenses while speeding up how quickly operators can add or remove vehicles from their fleets. Invers adjusts data request frequency to limit costs, ensuring core information updates in real time while less critical data is received less frequently. Car-sharing operators maintain the same consistent workflow and booking system they use with CloudBoxx technology, requiring no software changes on their end.
The integration cuts costs by minimizing data requests and managing Tesla’s sleep modes while eliminating hardware installation entirely.
Yet Tesla appears set on keeping its robotaxi service independent. The company reportedly turned down an offer to integrate its upcoming autonomous ride-hailing service directly onto Uber’s platform. This decision suggests Tesla wants to compete with Uber and Waymo rather than partner with them.
Tesla’s plans include launching a paid robotaxi service in Austin with potential pricing around $4.20 per fare or zone-based flat rates. The company filed trademark applications for “robotaxi,” “cybercab,” and “Robbus,” though the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected the first two as too generic.
The contrast is striking. Tesla’s technology enables third-party car-sharing services to eliminate hardware costs and optimize operations. Meanwhile, the company chooses to reject partnerships for its own ride-hailing ambitions, preferring complete control over pricing, user experience, and service implementation in the competitive autonomous transportation market.