Uber is re-entering the autonomous vehicle arena with an ambitious plan to launch a robotaxi service in San Francisco in late 2026. The ride-hailing giant is partnering with electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Motors and autonomous technology company Nuro to deploy a fleet of self-driving taxis in a city that has become a central testing ground for autonomous mobility. This move signals a significant strategic shift for Uber, which had previously scaled back its self-driving efforts after a fatal accident in 2018. The company is now poised to compete directly with established players like Waymo and Zoox on their home turf.
The new service will leverage the strengths of each partner to create a vertically integrated solution for autonomous ride-hailing. Lucid will provide its all-electric Gravity SUV as the base vehicle, which will be outfitted with Nuro’s advanced self-driving system. Uber will integrate these custom-built robotaxis into its existing app, providing a familiar interface for customers and a massive built-in user base from day one. The collaboration aims to create a safe, scalable, and efficient autonomous transportation option, with plans for a phased rollout that will begin with a test fleet and expand to thousands of vehicles over the next several years.
A Strategic Alliance for Self-Driving Scale
The success of Uber’s new venture hinges on the synergy between the three partner companies. Lucid Motors, known for its luxury electric vehicles with long-range batteries, will provide the hardware foundation for the robotaxi fleet. The vehicles will be based on the Lucid Gravity, a large SUV that is well-suited for passenger transport. A modified version, dubbed the Gravity Plus, will be optimized for robotaxi use with a larger battery capable of a 450-mile range, minimizing downtime for charging and maximizing time on the road. This focus on efficiency is critical for the economic viability of a large-scale autonomous ride-hailing service.
Nuro, a company founded by two former Google self-driving car engineers, will provide the brains of the operation. Their “Nuro Driver” system is a Level 4 autonomous driving platform, meaning it can operate without human intervention in specific, defined areas. This AI-powered system is vehicle-agnostic and has been in development for over eight years, logging more than a million autonomous miles in cities across Texas, Arizona, and California. Nuro’s technology uses a combination of cameras, radar, and lidar to perceive the world and navigate complex urban environments safely. For this partnership, Nuro is licensing its technology to create a purpose-built solution for Uber’s network.
Uber’s role is to provide the platform and the passengers. With its global presence in over 15,000 cities, Uber has the scale to deploy and manage a large fleet of autonomous vehicles. The company’s vast experience in ride-hailing logistics, demand prediction, and customer service will be invaluable in integrating the new robotaxis into its existing ecosystem. As Uber’s chief product officer, Sachin Kansal, stated, “By combining deep expertise in electric vehicles, autonomy, and ridehailing, we’re laying the groundwork for safe and scalable autonomous rides in the Bay Area and beyond.”
Phased Rollout and Long-Term Vision
The launch of the service will be a gradual process, starting with an engineering test fleet of 100 vehicles in the coming months. This initial phase will allow the companies to gather data, refine the technology, and ensure the vehicles can operate safely and reliably on San Francisco’s challenging streets. The public launch is slated for late 2026, with a specific date yet to be announced.
Uber and its partners have ambitious plans for expansion. Within six years, they aim to deploy at least 20,000 autonomous vehicles across multiple cities. This long-term vision extends beyond the partnership with Lucid and Nuro. Uber is also collaborating with automaker Stellantis and chipmaker Nvidia to develop another line of robotaxis, with a target of 5,000 vehicles in production by 2028. Furthermore, Uber has already launched autonomous ride-hailing services in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi through a partnership with Chinese autonomous tech company WeRide, indicating a global strategy for its autonomous mobility efforts.
Navigating a Crowded and Cautious Market
Uber’s new robotaxi service will not be entering a vacuum. San Francisco is already home to several established autonomous vehicle companies, most notably Waymo, which is owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet. Waymo has been operating its driverless taxis in the city for some time and has gained a significant foothold. Zoox, another competitor, has also begun to offer rides to select users in the city. The “robotaxi wars” are heating up, and Uber will need to differentiate itself to capture market share.
Beyond the competition, Uber will have to navigate a complex regulatory landscape and win over a public that has at times been skeptical of autonomous vehicles. The memory of the now-defunct Cruise’s incident, where a vehicle dragged a person down a street, still looms large. Uber itself has a tarnished history in this area, having halted its previous self-driving program after one of its vehicles killed a pedestrian in Arizona in 2018. These incidents have fueled public and regulatory scrutiny of the industry.
However, public perception in San Francisco appears to be shifting. A recent poll by the political group GrowSF showed that two-thirds of voters now support the operation of fully autonomous vehicles in the city, a significant increase from less than half in 2023. This growing acceptance is likely due to increased familiarity with the technology, as Waymo’s vehicles have become a common sight on city streets. The poll also found that 30% of supporters believe driverless cars are safer than human drivers.
A Strategic Return to a Competitive Field
For Uber, this new venture represents a strategic return to a field it helped pioneer. The company was an early adopter of autonomous vehicle technology in the 2010s, but the 2018 fatality in Phoenix led to a major reassessment of its strategy. Now, with more mature technology and a clearer path to commercialization, Uber is ready to re-engage. This time, however, it is doing so through strategic partnerships rather than attempting to build the entire technology stack in-house. This approach allows Uber to leverage the specialized expertise of companies like Lucid and Nuro while focusing on its core strengths in network management and customer acquisition.
The move is also a recognition of the transformative potential of autonomous vehicles for the ride-hailing industry. Self-driving cars promise to reduce labor costs, increase efficiency, and potentially improve safety. By embracing this technology, Uber is positioning itself to remain a leader in the future of transportation. The San Francisco launch will be a critical test case, and its success or failure will have significant implications for Uber and the broader autonomous vehicle industry.