People leave a lot of strange things in their autos

Unicorn beanie hat for kids. 15 lb green bowling ball. A pair of dentures.

These are just some of the items left behind by robotaxis in the past year, according to the British Daily Mail Uber’s annual lost and found index. For the first time, the company is expanding its annual accounts of forgotten items in Uber vehicles to include self-driving cars, because, for the first time, Uber has enough self-driving cars on its platform to matter.

Uber does not deploy its own robotaxis, but in the past few years it has become a clearinghouse for self-driving car companies that want to reach millions of Uber customers. Here in the United States, that includes Waymo (in Austin and Atlanta), kinetic (Las Vegas), and Afried (Dallas). Although robo-taxis only account for less than 1% of all Uber trips, it’s enough to earn inclusion in the Lost and Found Index.

One thing is clear: regardless of whether a human or a robot controls the car, passengers will always leave things behind. The most common items are also the most expected: phones. Uber says forgotten phones, from iPhones to foldable phones, from Androids to Galaxys, are the most common items left behind. Other items that are often forgotten include wallets, keys, headphones, glasses, driver’s licenses, and passports.

Then there are the bizarre leftovers: a giant yo-yo, a large black marble duck, a Squishmallow, a Charli XCX poster, a Smurf keychain, and an “I Heart Hot Dads” bag. And of course, the aforementioned bowling ball, the Beanie Baby, and the dentures – the latter of which have been returned to their owner.

Robotaxi passengers also left behind an array of clothing, including red cowboy hats Sonic the Hedgehog Crocs, a Terry Black trucker hat, a Harley Davidson jacket, and a blue “Emotional Support Human” hat. Uber says nearly every major designer is represented on its roster, including wallets and handbags from Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dior and Hermès. One even left behind a white Gucci blanket.

The process for returning leftover items in robotaxis is slightly different than it is for human-driven vehicles. After reporting a missing item in the app, customers can send a direct message or chat with a US-based customer support agent, who will collect all the details. If the item is found, Uber will send one of its delivery representatives to return it for a flat fee of $15. The company also offers the ability to pick up the item from its own vehicle warehouse where the robotaxis are shipped and maintained. The process is managed by Newly created autonomous solutions by Uber The program through which the company aims to standardize its robotics procedures.

“With tens of millions of lost items reported to Uber each year, we’ve spent the past decade building systems that help riders quickly and easily reunite with their belongings,” Amy Satrum, global head of self-help at Uber, said in a statement.

The scope of this process is likely to grow as more bots appear on the Uber platform. The company aims to facilitate self-driving vehicle trips in up to 15 cities globally by the end of this year, with an equal split between the US and international markets. By 2029, Uber says its goal is to become the world’s largest robotaxi broker.

Cars may be more technologically advanced, but humans remain as forgetful as ever. Although sometimes robotics is wrong. A San Jose resident recently said a Waymo car drove off with his luggage after dropping him off at the airport. The company found his luggage, but initially said it could not pay the shipping costs to return it to him. But after the man reported his predicament To the local newsWaymo said it will cover the costs.