- At this year’s CES convention, EV manufacturer Lucid, autonomous technology firm Nuro, and ridesharing platform Uber, have revealed a production intended EV that will operate autonomously under the Uber platform soon.
- Later this year, these autonomous Lucid EVs are set to go into customer operation in the San Francisco Bay area.
- The project brings together Lucid’s EV expertise, Nuro’s proven autonomous technology, and Uber’s strong customer base.
Autonomous Lucid taxis to hit US roads later this year
The CES reveal showed a Lucid Gravity electric SUV with a raft of modifications to support level 4 autonomous driving capabilities. This includes a significant number of cameras and lidar sensors dotted around the car, including a roof-mounted radar array. This is backed up with new LED screens which give riders information on the correct vehicle to enter, and interior screens which update riders on trip progress.
The production-intent robotaxi is expected to go into production at Lucid’s own EV factory in Arizona, later this year. From there, these robotaxis will begin operation in the San Francisco Bay Area, though an expansion of this project across other US areas is inevitable.
This partnership between Lucid, Uber, and Nuro won’t be the only ‘robotaxi’ operating on US roads. Waymo is already in operation across the San Francisco Bay Area, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, using a fleet of customised Jaguar I-PACE EVs. Tesla is also pushing forward its Cybercab concept, with more test units now in operation, with public ridership also poised to begin later this year.
Dave Ferguson, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Nuro, commented:
“The debut of our production intent robotaxi with Lucid and Uber is a significant milestone on our path to delivering autonomy at scale. By bringing together Nuro’s proven level 4 autonomy, Lucid’s advanced vehicle architecture, and Uber’s global reach, we’re building a robotaxi service designed for real-world operations and long-term growth.”
Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery at Uber, added:
“Uber is proud to partner with Lucid and Nuro to bring a state-of-the-art robotaxi to market later this year. 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.”
Kay Stepper, Vice President of ADAS and Autonomous at Lucid, said:
“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.”
