Hertz Global Holdings, seeking to diversify its business and prepare for a future with driverless vehicles, has launched a subsidiary called Oro Mobility.
In conjunction with the move, Hertz has enhanced its partnership Uber.
Oro will focus on fleet management, logistics and vehicle maintenance, with an emphasis on driverless vehicles.
Under its arrangement with Uber, Oro will provide repairs, charging, cleaning and overall management of Uber's driverless-vehicle fleet. Uber is developing the fleet in partnership with Lucid, an electric vehicle manufacturer, and Nuro, a developer of autonomous driving technology.
Uber's driverless vehicles are expected to launch in the San Francisco Bay area later this year. The Lucid Gravity SUV will be the initial vehicle Uber uses for its San Francisco robotaxis.
Last month, Uber increased its Lucid order book to 35,000 vehicles.
Hertz had been teasing its diversification into autonomous vehicles.
"Uber's CEO has described autonomous vehicles as potentially a multitrillion-dollar market. We're building the capabilities now to ensure Hertz is positioned to play a significant role in that ecosystem," Hertz CEO Gil West said during the company's Q4 earnings call in late February.