Lucid, Uber and Nuro unveil robotaxi based on the Lucid Gravity
Lucid, Nuro, and Uber announced their plans for a global premium robotaxi programme as early as July 2025. At the beginning of September, Uber followed this up with a $300 million investment in Lucid to accelerate the commercialisation of the robotaxi programme. Uber aims to integrate at least 20,000 robotaxis from Lucid into its ride-hailing platform over the next six years—a move that requires significant liquidity. The first rollout is set to take place in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The partners showcased their progress at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas from 6 to 9 January, making their plans even more tangible. They confirmed that the first vehicles will be rolled out this year. The electric SUVs, based on the Gravedad lúcida, will feature Nuro Driver technology and a next-generation sensor array. This includes high-resolution cameras, solid-state lidar sensors, and radar systems, enabling a 360-degree surround view. These sensors are integrated into the entire body of the Lucid Gravity, particularly in the specially designed, roof-mounted Halo—a flat module engineered to ensure maximum visibility.
High-performance computer with Nvidia chip
A previously undisclosed detail is that the data collected by the sensors is processed in real time by a high-performance computer powered by the Nvidia Drive AGX Thor. This information was not revealed when the partnership was announced in the summer, but in October, Nvidia named both Uber and Lucid as partners for separate projects. Autonomous driving at Level 4 requires such high-performance computers directly in the vehicle, as the volume of data collected by the sensors is enormous, and driving decisions must be made in milliseconds.
“Uber is proud to partner with Lucid and Nuro to bring a state-of-the-art robotaxi to market later this year,” says Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery at Uber. “By combining leading expertise in electric vehicles, autonomy, and ridehailing, we’re building a unique new option for affordable and scalable autonomous rides in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.”
Visualisation shows planned manoeuvres
Inside the vehicle, a display will provide real-time visualisation of what the robotaxi sees and the route it plans to take, including manoeuvres such as yielding right of way, braking at traffic lights, changing lanes, and dropping off passengers.
Kay Stepper, Vice President of ADAS and Autonomous at Lucid, adds: “Our robotaxi program with Uber and Nuro is a key part of how Lucid is leveraging its technology to create a more sustainable future of mobility that is widely accessible. Our engineering, range and interior comfort offers a unique platform, and when combined with Nuro’s technology and Uber’s scale, we are collectively building an experience like no other.”
Road tests in San Francisco
According to the partner companies, the first road tests of the robotaxi began in December in San Francisco, initially with safety drivers on board and without passengers. However, the first passengers are expected to use the robotaxis later this year.
However, Uber’s robotaxi collaborations are not limited to Lucid and Nuro. Like its existing business model, Uber positions itself as a platform open to multiple partners: starting in 2027, Uber plans to expand its global autonomous fleet and aims for 100,000 vehicles from various manufacturers. A collaboration with VW is already in place, and there is also a partnership with Stellantis for Western markets. This year, Uber plans to test robotaxis in Munich with Chinese partner Momenta. In Dubai, Uber is even further ahead, having launched a robotaxi service there in December with Chinese partner WeRide.
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