Squishmallows, Dentures, and the Unseen Hand: What Uber’s Robotaxis are Really Losing

Uber’s latest annual Lost & Found Index reveals a bizarre collection of forgotten items, now with a new twist: robotaxis.

For a decade, Uber’s annual Lost & Found Index has offered a peculiar glimpse into our shared human experience, cataloging millions of forgotten items left behind in its vehicles.

This year, the report shines a spotlight on a new frontier of forgotten possessions: those left in robotaxis.

Thousands of items, from the mundane to the truly perplexing, have already been logged in these driverless vehicles over the past year.

Category	Examples of Lost Items
Commonly Lost	Smartphones, Laptops, Keys, Wallets, Passports, Headphones
Historically Quirky	Live fish, Ankle monitor, Toboggan, Live butterflies, Single Louboutin shoe
Robotaxi Oddities	Dentures, “I Heart Hot Dads” bag, “Emotional Support Human” hat, 15-pound yo-yo, Large black marble duck, Squishmallow, Charli XCX poster

The Ghost in the Machine: Who’s Losing What in Driverless Cars?

While the usual culprits like phones, keys, and wallets still top the list, the items discovered in robotaxis venture into truly head-scratching territory.

Imagine a set of dentures, an “I Heart Hot Dads” bag, or a blue hat proudly proclaiming “Emotional Support Human” – all left in a car with no driver.

These forgotten relics offer a humorous, if slightly unsettling, glimpse into the lives of passengers and the peculiar items they choose to transport.

Unseen Hands: The Logistics of Lost & Found in the Autonomous Age

The sheer volume of lost items in a mere 12 months in robotaxis speaks volumes about the burgeoning adoption of these driverless services on Uber’s platform.

It also highlights a rather ingenious business opportunity, albeit a minor one, for the company.

Even in a future dominated by autonomous vehicles, the human element of retrieving lost belongings remains crucial.

Uber has been strategically expanding its partnerships with autonomous vehicle (AV) technology companies for several years.

The launch of “Waymo on Uber” in Austin in March 2025 truly kickstarted its commercial AV ambitions, followed by expansion into Atlanta.

Other partnerships include Motional in Las Vegas and Avride in Dallas, though these still involve human safety operators.

“With tens of millions of lost items reported on Uber each year, we’ve spent the last decade building systems that help riders quickly and seamlessly reunite with their belongings,” said Amy Satrom, global head of autonomous support at Uber. “As autonomous rides continue to scale on Uber, we’re bringing that same expertise to AVs — combining our fleet operations, support teams, and hybrid network to make getting a lost item back simple, even when there’s no driver behind the wheel.”

The Unsolved Mystery: What Does This Tell Us About the Future?

The process for recovering lost items in a robotaxi mirrors that of a standard Uber ride, utilizing the app’s activity tab and customer support.

Passengers can opt for a $15 Uber Courier delivery or pick up their item directly from an AV depot.

This system leverages Uber’s existing network, including a rebrand of Uber Connect, now Uber Courier, to manage package and item delivery.

The company’s new division, Uber Autonomous Solutions, underscores its serious commitment to driverless technology, aiming to offer robotaxi rides in up to 15 cities globally by year-end and become the largest facilitator of AV trips by 2029.

The curious case of the lost Squishmallow and dentures in a driverless car serves as a whimsical, yet profound, indicator of our accelerating journey into an autonomous future, where even the most unexpected items find themselves on a surreal journey of their own.