Uber has unveiled a custom robotaxi, developed in collaboration with autonomous driving technology firm Nuro and electric vehicle maker Lucid, to be added to its global ride-share platform. The robotaxi, which boasts room for six passengers and an Uber-designed in-cabin ride experience, will initially be available in San Francisco, where the company is headquartered. This move marks a significant step forward for Uber in the autonomous vehicle market, where it faces competition from rivals such as Waymo, owned by Google.
The Lucid Gravity robotaxi features interactive screens that allow riders to control various aspects of their journey, including seat heaters, climate controls, and music. Passengers will also be able to contact support teams or command the vehicle to pull over using the in-cabin interface. The all-electric vehicle is powered by Nvidia’s AI technology, which is also being used by other automakers to develop autonomous driving systems.
Uber and Nvidia announced a partnership last year to deploy 100,000 robotaxis starting in 2027. According to Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s chief executive, the collaboration aims to create a framework for the entire industry to deploy autonomous fleets at scale. Road testing of the robotaxis began last month, with human drivers present as a precaution. The launch of the Uber robotaxi service is slated for later this year, pending regulatory clearance in California.
The introduction of Uber’s robotaxi service comes as the company already offers users in select US cities the option to hail robotaxis operated by Waymo. Waymo’s fleet in the San Francisco area is estimated to exceed 800 vehicles, and its service is set to expand to 10 US cities, as well as London, in the coming months. Amazon-owned Zoox has also launched a limited driverless ride service in parts of San Francisco as part of an “explorers” program.
Uber’s global head of autonomous mobility, Sarfraz Maredia, expressed the company’s pride in partnering with Lucid and Nuro to bring a state-of-the-art robotaxi to market. The development of autonomous vehicles is rapidly advancing, with several companies investing heavily in the technology. As the industry continues to evolve, it is likely that autonomous ride-hailing services will become increasingly common in cities around the world.
