What if your next Uber showed up without a driver—just you, a luxury EV, and zero small talk?
That future’s not far off, thanks to Uber’s bold new deals with Lucid Motors and Nuro, aiming to launch a sleek, upscale robotaxi service starting next year.
Key Takeaways
- $300M investment in Lucid to buy 20,000 luxury Gravity SUVs
- Multi-hundred-million-dollar deal with Nuro for AV tech
- Driverless rides to launch in a major U.S. city by 2026
- First-of-its-kind upscale robotaxi experience in the works
Uber Is Going Premium with Self-Driving Rides
In a move that could reshape the ride-hailing game, Uber is investing $300 million in electric vehicle maker Lucid and an even larger undisclosed amount into autonomous vehicle startup Nuro.
The partnership, announced Thursday, includes plans for Uber to purchase at least 20,000 of Lucid’s new Gravity SUVs over the next six years. These vehicles will be outfitted with Nuro’s autonomous driving technology and used for an upscale, driverless ride-hailing service operated by Uber or its third-party fleet partners.
Testing Has Already Begun
According to Nuro co-founder Dave Ferguson, the deal was a year in the making. Engineers from both companies are already testing prototype robotaxis at Nuro’s proving grounds in Las Vegas.
“We were thrilled that, at the end of it all, we were the partner Uber chose,” Ferguson said.
Part of a Bigger Autonomy Play
This isn’t Uber’s first flirtation with autonomous tech. Over the last two years, the company has partnered with more than 18 AV firms worldwide, including Waymo, May Mobility, Baidu, and WeRide. But this deal marks Uber’s most ambitious and premium push yet.
In fact, Uber’s current “Waymo on Uber” service in Austin and Atlanta is already up and running, but the Lucid–Nuro collaboration promises to take it a step further: luxury and autonomy combined.
Why It Matters
Uber is putting serious money on the table to shape the future of mobility. For riders, this could mean:
- Faster pickups and less wait time
- A comfortable, driver-free ride in a luxury EV
- The chance to experience cutting-edge self-driving tech firsthand