Uber and Lucid's robotaxis will debut in the Bay Area in 2026
Uber's robotaxi service with EV maker Lucid and self-driving car company Nuro is officially coming to the Bay Area in 2026. The ride-hailing service previously announced plans to deploy at least 20,000 self-driving Lucid cars powered by Nuro's driving software in July. The partnership between the companies also included investment from Uber in both Nuro and Lucid.Uber's final robotaxi experience will offer rides in Lucid Gravity SUVs running the Nuro Driver Level 4 autonomy system, and be available exclusively through the company's app. Ahead of launch, Uber says Lucid and Nuro are also helping to build out an "Engineering Test Fleet" of over 100 robotaxis to run safety tests. "Nuro will lead the development and validation of a comprehensive safety case across dozens of categories," Uber says, "using simulations, closed course testing, and supervised on-road testing to verify that the robotaxi will operate safely." The final service will be fully owned and operated by Uber. Since Uber sold off its own self-driving software team in 2020, the company has worked with multiple self-driving car companies to continue to offer robotaxis on its service. Just in 2025, Uber partnered with Waymo in Austin and Atlanta, announced plans to work with Momenta in Europe and debuted a partnership with Volkswagen to offer self-driving ID.Buzz vans. This Lucid and Nuro deal is really just one way the company is making serious investments in self-driving."The Bay Area has long been the birthplace of transformative technology, and it's only fitting that Uber's next-generation robotaxi program with Lucid and Nuro will begin here — launching to the public next year," Sachin Kansal, Uber's Chief Product Officer, shared in a press release. "By combining deep expertise in electric vehicles, autonomy, and ride-hailing, we're laying the groundwork for safe and scalable autonomous rides in the Bay Area and beyond."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-and-lucids-robotaxis-will-debut-in-the-bay-area-in-2026-120000876.html?src=rss
