However it would be a capital intensive business, and Uber has the capital. Uber also the brand, the customers, the data, and a bunch of robotics experts. They also seem to be really good at operations.

The two things that are a knock on Uber today are the politics around taxi licenses and the politics around compensating their drivers. I can see why Uber would be happy to eliminate one of those problems.

If I'm leasing out my car and I'm not going to be in it, I'm going to care a lot more about passenger vetting than the passengers are going to care about vetting me.

I see what you mean. If I own a self-driving car I can pimp it out while I'm at work, cutting out Uber.

And I thought Uber was pretty weak compared to YellowCab on driver vetting?

Yes but how would you pimp it out? ;)

You'd put it in a marketplace with an app for people to order the rides...:P