People are leaving a lot of amazing things in their robotaxis

Baby unicorn Beanie. A 15-pound green bowling ball. Two toothpicks.

These are some of the things that remained in robotaxis last year, according to Uber’s annual Lost and Found Index. For the first time, the company is expanding its annual inventory of lost items in Uber vehicles to include self-driving cars because, for the first time, Uber has enough self-driving cars on its platform.

Uber doesn’t deploy its own robotaxis, but in the past few years it has become a hotbed for self-driving companies looking to get Uber’s millions of customers. Here in the US, it includes That’s it (in Austin and Atlanta), Travel (Las Vegas), and Avride (Dallas). And even though robotaxis only account for less than 1 percent of all Uber rides, it’s enough to be included in the Lost and Found Index.

One thing is for sure: Regardless of whether it’s a human or a robot driving the car, passengers always leave things behind. The most popular items are obvious: phones. Uber says forgotten phones, from iPhones to smartphones, Androids to Galaxys, are the most frequently abandoned. Other things that are often forgotten are purses, keys, headphones, glasses, driver’s licenses, and passports.

And then there are the leftovers: a jumbo yo-yo, a giant black marble duck, a Squishmallow, a Charli XCX photo, a Smurf keychain, and a bag that says “I Heart Hot Dads.” And of course, the aforementioned ball, Beanie Baby, and teeth – the last ones returned to their owners.

The Robotaxi passengers also left behind several items of clothing, including cowboy hats, in red Sonic the Hedgehog Crocs, a Terry Black trucker hat, a Harley-Davidson sweater, and a blue cap that says “Emotional Support Human.” Uber says nearly every major designer is represented on its list, including handbags and purses by Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dior, and Hermès. Someone also left a white Gucci blanket.

The process of retrieving abandoned objects in robotaxis is different from that of its human-driven vehicles. After reporting a lost item in the app, customers can DM or chat with a US customer service representative, who will take care of everything. If the item is found, Uber will send one of its couriers to return it with a $15 fee. The company also offers the possibility to pick up the goods from its warehouse where robotaxis are paid and maintained. This process is managed through Uber’s newly developed Autonomous Solutions program, which the company wants to stop its robotaxis processes.

“With millions of lost items reported on Uber every year, we’ve spent the last decade building solutions that help riders reunite with their belongings,” said Amy Satrom, Uber’s global independent director, in a statement.

The scope of this strategy should grow as more robotaxis appear on the Uber platform. The company plans to roll out AV tours in 15 cities around the world by the end of this year, split between the US and other international markets. And by 2029, Uber says its goal is to become the largest robotaxi broker in the world.

Cars may be getting more and more technologically advanced, but people are still as forgetful as ever. Although sometimes robotaxi is wrong. A San Jose resident said Waymo recently took off with her bag after leaving her at the airport. The company found the item, but initially said it couldn’t afford the shipping costs to get it back. But when the man explained his problem to local newsWaymo said it would pay the money.