'Kalanick began courting Levandowski this spring, broaching the possibility of an acquisition during a series of 10-mile night walks from the Soma neighborhood where Uber is also headquartered to the Golden Gate Bridge. The two men would leave their offices separately—to avoid being seen by employees, the press, or competitors. They’d grab takeout food, then rendezvous near the city’s Ferry Building. Levandowski says he saw a union as a way to bring the company’s trucks to market faster.'
Which implies to me that the plan was for Uber to acquire Otto all along.
"Okay, Travis, but I don't want to just get hired on as another employee, I want to be cool like Kyle Vogt. Give me a few months to buy some trucks, rig them up with sensors, put splashy logos on them and get some press, and then you can acquire me using some of those Saudi gigabucks you picked up in your series F."