---
title: "Uber Self-Driving Car Boss Sherif Marakby Is Quitting"
description: "One of the executives that helped launch Uber's self-driving car program is leaving the company."
date: "2017-04-18"
modified: "2017-04-18"
authors:
  - name: "Stephen Edelstein"
    job_title: "Weekend Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/stephen-edelstein"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/9417/uber-self-driving-car-boss-sherif-marakby-is-quitting"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Autonomous Cars"
  - "self-driving cars"
  - "Uber"
---

# Uber Self-Driving Car Boss Sherif Marakby Is Quitting

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/03/rsz_gettyimages-605519950.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com\</em\>*

Over the past few months, Uber has been [racked by scandals](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/7772/kalanick-eric-holder-arianna-huffington-to-investigate-sexual-harassment-incident-at-uber>) and the departures of high-profile executives. Now, it's losing one more big name: Sherif Marakby, vice president of global vehicle programs.

Marakby was one of the main forces behind Uber's self-driving car program. He joined Uber in April 2016 after 25 years at Ford, where served as global director of electronics and engineering before making the transition to Uber. A source close to the matter told [*Automotive News*](<https://www.autonews.com/article/20170417/MOBILITY/170419851/uber-loses-another-top-executive-as-marakby-departs>) that Marakby "will be taking a break" before making his next move.

"Self-driving is one of the most interesting challenges I've worked on in my career, and I'm grateful to have contributed to what will soon be a safer future for everyone," Marakby said in a statement confirming his departure from Uber. He did not say why he was leaving.

Uber is [currently fighting a lawsuit from Waymo](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/9296/uber-knew-buying-otto-could-lead-to-legal-battle-with-waymo>), which alleges the ride-sharing company benefitted from stolen autonomous-car tech. Waymo, the former Google self-driving car project, claims one of its former employees, Anthony Levandowski, [stole 14,000 files](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/7867/waymo-suing-uber-over-claims-of-stolen-self-driving-car-documents-and-trade-secrets>) and used the information to [form a startup, Otto](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/5705/drive-wire-for-october-26-2016-ubers-self-driving-truck-makes-its-first-delivery-50-000-cans-of-beer>), which was later purchased by Uber. Levandowski was given a prominent position in Uber's self-driving car program after the purchase. Uber told *Automotive News* that Marakby's departure was not related to the lawsuit.

Uber is currently testing self-driving cars in Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Tempe, Arizona. The program [was temporarily halted last month](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/8650/uber-to-halt-autonomous-testing-program>) after one of Uber's Volvo XC90 autonomous prototypes was involved in a collision with another vehicle. Self-driving cars were back on the road days later, but the incident did not help the technology's image.

Marakby's departure is the latest in something of a mass Uber executive exodus. Over the past three months, president Jeff Jones, head of communications Rachel Whetstone, and Gary Marcus, head of Uber's AI Labs, have all stepped down.

## Author
Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he's not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/SAEdelstein>)