Uber signs six-year autonomous taxi agreement with Lucid Motors
Uber, Lucid, and Nuro Partner to Revolutionize Urban Mobility with Autonomous Robotaxis
A groundbreaking partnership between Uber, Lucid, and Nuro is driving the development and deployment of Level 4 autonomous robotaxis. Each partner brings unique expertise to the table, with Lucid supplying luxury electric vehicles, Nuro providing self-driving software, and Uber leveraging its ride-hailing platform and fleet management.
Lucid manufactures the Lucid Gravity SUV, an electric vehicle with a long 450-mile driving range and a robust, fully redundant zonal architecture designed for autonomous driving. The hardware required for autonomous operation is integrated on Lucid’s production line. Nuro, on the other hand, contributes its self-driving technology, known as the Nuro Driver, an AI-first, vehicle-agnostic autonomous system that has been tested through five years of driverless deployments across multiple U.S. cities and states. Nuro is also responsible for validating the safety of the vehicles.
Uber plans to purchase and operate, either directly or via third-party fleet partners, at least 20,000 Lucid EVs equipped with Nuro’s technology over six years, deploying them on its global ride-hailing platform in dozens of markets. Uber will also make substantial multi-hundred-million dollar investments in both Lucid and Nuro to deepen the collaboration. Uber provides the fleet operation, customer interface, and deployment scale needed to commercialize autonomous robotaxis at an unprecedented scale.
The robotaxis are designed for SAE Level 4 autonomy, meaning these vehicles can operate without human intervention within certain operational design domains, reflecting a high degree of automation though with some geographic and environmental constraints. The first prototype of the Lucid-Nuro robotaxi is already operating autonomously on a closed test circuit at Nuro’s proving grounds in Las Vegas, and the commercial launch is targeted for 2026 in a major U.S. city, after which scale-up will follow globally over subsequent years.
This collaboration aims to demonstrate the viability and safety of large-scale Level 4 robotaxi services, combining advanced EV technology, proven autonomous driving systems, and an established ride-hailing ecosystem, potentially transforming urban mobility globally.
- Uber will also invest $300 million in Lucid as part of the agreement.
- Lucid was chosen for the partnership due to its EV technology leadership.
- Uber will also make a "multi-hundred-million-dollar investment" in Nuro.
- Nuro will provide a self-driving software system supporting Level 4 autonomy.
- Uber and Lucid's first robotaxi will be launched in a major US urban hub next year.
[1] Uber, Lucid, and Nuro Partner to Develop and Deploy Autonomous Robotaxis [2] Uber, Lucid, and Nuro Announce Multi-Year Partnership to Develop Autonomous Robotaxis [3] Nuro to Develop Autonomous Vehicle Technology for Uber's Robotaxis [4] Nuro's Self-Driving Technology to Power Uber's Autonomous Robotaxis [5] Uber, Lucid, and Nuro Collaborate on Autonomous Robotaxis
[1] Uber, Lucid, and Nuro Announce Strategic Partnership to Revolutionize the Automotive Industry with Autonomous Robotaxis[2] Uber Investes $300 Million in Lucid to Accelerate the Development of Autonomous Electric Vehicles[3] Finance and Technology Converge as Uber Makes a Significant Investment in Nuro for Autonomous Robotaxis[4] Uber, Lucid, and Nuro Team Up to Pioneer the Future of Transportation with Level 4 Autonomous Robotaxis[5] Uber and Nuro to Collaborate on Autonomous Vehicle Technology for the Business of Transportation Services
