Lucid Group, Nuro Inc. and Uber Technologies are forming a partnership to develop an autonomous driving platform, the companies announced Thursday. Lucid, a luxury EV maker, will supply its recently launched Gravity SUVs for the program, which will be operated by ridesharing service Uber and run using Nuro’s Driver Level 4 autonomy system.
Uber aims to deploy 20,000 or more Lucid EVs equipped with the technology over the next six years. Uber or its third-party fleet partners will own the vehicles, which will be exclusively available to riders on Uber’s platform.
According to Nuro, the first Lucid robotaxi laden with the software is already operating autonomously on Nuro’s closed circuit proving grounds in Nevada. The vehicles will receive the necessary hardware while on Lucid’s assembly line and subsequently Nuro’s software when the vehicle is commissioned by Uber.
"Autonomous vehicles have enormous potential to transform our cities for the better," said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. "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."
The news comes just as robotaxis are having a moment: Waymo has long led the autonomous ridesharing game, and Uber has even partnered with the Google/Alphabet subsidiary in the past. Tesla also recently launched driverless car testing in Austin, Texas, as it works to enter the market.
This also isn’t Uber’s first robotaxi rodeo; the company began testing autonomous vehicles in 2018, but ended the program after an accident in Tempe, Arizona.
Both Lucid and Uber have received substantial investments from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. In May, Uber overtook Lucid as the PIF’s largest US equity holding by value.
The partnership also comes with large investments from Uber. Lucid will receive $300 million, and Nuro will receive a similar “multi-hundred-million-dollar” amount that was not disclosed.
Lucid’s Interim CEO, Marc Winterhoff, said the investment “validates” Lucid’s vehicle architecture as “ideal” for autonomous driving, while its “spacious well-appointed interiors” were the same for ridesharing.
"This is the start of our path to extend our innovation and technology leadership into this multi-trillion-dollar market,” he said.
Uber operates in 70 countries and averages 34 million trips per day. The first launch of the robotaxis is projected to take place next year in a “major” U.S. city.
