Uber and Nuro start testing a Lucid Gravity robotaxi with employees.
The Lucid Gravity SUV operates with Nuro’s autonomous driving technology, utilizing Nvidia Drive AGX Thor for processing. A human safety operator is positioned behind the wheel. Uber has pledged to purchase a minimum of 20,000 of these vehicles within the next six years.
Uber and Nuro have initiated employee test rides for a premium robotaxi service in San Francisco, using the Lucid Gravity SUV that features Nuro's autonomous driving system. Selected Uber employees can now summon a ride via the Uber app; these vehicles are running in autonomous mode while a human safety operator is on standby.
This development is part of the latest phase of a partnership revealed in July 2025, when Uber made a $300 million investment in Lucid and an undisclosed 'multi-hundred-million dollar' investment in Nuro.
The Lucid Gravity robotaxi was publicly unveiled in January 2026. It is equipped with high-resolution cameras, solid-state lidar sensors, and radar arrays that support Nuro’s autonomy stack, powered by Nvidia’s Drive AGX Thor computing platform.
Currently, Nuro has 100 Lucid Gravity SUVs in its engineering fleet for real-world data collection and autonomous driving trials across various U.S. cities and states. Production of the modified vehicles for commercial use is expected to begin in late 2026, as noted in a regulatory filing.
The employee testing phase aims to assess the integration of the autonomy stack, the vehicle, and the rider experience in a live operating setting, specifically focusing on pickup and drop-off operations, which are among the most technically challenging aspects of autonomous ride-hailing.
Uber's commitment includes acquiring at least 20,000 Gravity SUVs over the next six years, with plans to manage and operate the premium robotaxi service, likely collaborating with a third-party operator.
The partnership between Uber and Nuro is one of several robotaxi collaborations Uber has formed as it follows a platform strategy that allows it to remain in the ride-hailing sector without fully covering the costs of developing autonomous vehicle technology internally.
Uber's investment in Verne, a robotaxi service based in Zagreb that initiated Europe’s first commercial autonomous ride service in April 2026, aligns with this strategy. A public launch of the San Francisco Lucid/Nuro service is scheduled for later in 2026.
Published April 14, 2026 - 8:04 am UTC
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Uber and Nuro start testing a Lucid Gravity robotaxi with employees.
Uber and Nuro have commenced employee test rides of a Lucid Gravity robotaxi in San Francisco, with a public launch anticipated for later in 2026.