In a statement to Reuters, Toyota said its staffers "regularly exchange" self-driving information with Uber, but said that there hadn't been any decisions made beyond existing involvement. It's not a confirmation, then, but nor is it a denial. Toyota is no stranger to working closely with Uber: it invested in the company in 2016, and this January formed a partnership to develop a driverless vehicle system for everything from ride hailing apps to couriers.

This would represent a new step for both sides, however. Toyota already has its own self-driving hardware, so it'd be supplementing its own work. And for Uber, this would help its system evolve from a relatively in-house affair (albeit with the help of other brands) into something it can pitch to automakers. The company could theoretically make the most of its development work and even turn it into a viable side business if enough customers are interested.