Uber has announced an innovative national partnership. As just one example, they want to put more than 20,000 robotaxis on the roads of the US in the next six years. It’s perhaps the most ambitious initiative yet from Uber. They will work with electric vehicle maker Lucid and autonomous vehicle company Nuro as they aim to bring a fleet of self-driving vehicles to a large U.S. metro area as soon as next year.
This partnership could not come at a more opportune time, as Uber keeps expanding the types of services it provides. Earlier this year, the company extended its operations to Atlanta and Austin, Texas, demonstrating its commitment to enhancing urban mobility. Accessible and convenient The new robotaxi initiative promises a transformative transportation future by weaving innovative technology into its very infrastructure.
Nuro will play a key role in this partnership. They will supply the electronic architecture with the software for the “level 4 (fully autonomous) self-driving system” required to run such vehicles. Nuro has begun testing the prototype vehicle. They’ve been running these tests on an enclosed loop at their proving grounds in Las Vegas.
With all these amazing factors in place, Lucid’s participation brings huge benefits to the project. On the consumer side, their Gravity vehicles promise an eye-popping 450-mile range. This will reduce costs, speed up charging times, and increase convenience and accessibility for users. The future of this partnership looks very bright. Lucid’s stock skyrocketed by over 30% on Thursday after the announcement, a clear indication that the market sees this potential.
Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, went so far as to call it an “exciting partnership.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with Nuro and Lucid on this new robotaxi program, purpose-built just for the Uber platform, to safely bring the magic of autonomous driving to more people across the world.” – Dara Khosrowshahi
The collaboration highlights the backing that Nuro has from notable investors such as Google and the SoftBank Vision Fund, further solidifying the project’s potential for success. Uber is replacing some of its cars with ones with more advanced technology. By creating a smart partnership with Lucid and Nuro, it’s setting itself up well in the race for autonomous war across the landscape of transportation.