Uber is still on track for its IPO in 2019, says CEO Khosrowshahi

Uber Technologies Inc. is about to launch its next year's public offering, and it is unlikely that it will sell its autonomous car unit in the immediate future, said chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi on Wednesday.

Sending to Reuters at an event in New York unveiling new security measures for Uber, Khosrowshahi said that the Advanced Technologies Group – which manages autonomous driving technologies – will still be part of the new technology. Uber after its publication.

"In the end, it's a big asset that we build and we can monetize it as we wish. [Selling is] we do not think about it at this point, "he told Reuters. In July, Uber closed its group of autonomous trucks to focus on cars.

Khosrowshahi said Uber hoped to resume his car testing before the end of the year. The program was suspended earlier this year after a fatal accident in Arizona.

He said the investigation of this incident – as well as several other federal investigations into Uber's business practices – would not be reflected in the timing of an IPO.

"The growth rates of a company of our size are second to none. Right now, we are on track for an IPO next year, if market conditions allow, "Khosrowshahi said.

In August, Khosrowshahi said it was targeting an IPO in 18 months, by the end of 2019.

He also said that he would not be worried if Lyft, the carpool competitor, had been announced first, saying that there would be a strong demand for both companies. Last week, Bloomberg News announced that Lyft was targeting its IPO in April or May, hoping to beat Uber on the public markets. Another competitor, China Didi Chuxing Technology Co., is also considering an IPO, perhaps by the end of this year.

Last week, Uber got a $ 500 million investment from Toyota Motor Co.

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working together on autonomous vehicles, and Khosrowshahi said that other joint projects are likely – "it will not end there," he said.

Toyota's investment has valued Uber at around $ 72 billion, and its potential public offering could be one of the largest ever for a technology company.