Motional robotaxis join the Uber app in Vegas two years after major reset

Uber has expanded its robotaxi services by incorporating autonomous vehicles from Motional, a company backed by Hyundai. Starting this Friday, residents and visitors in Las Vegas can request rides in the self-driving Ioniq 5, which will initially operate with a safety monitor present in the vehicle. These robotaxis will service five key locations, including rideshare zones at the Resorts World and Encore hotel casinos on the Strip, the Westgate near the Las Vegas Convention Center, Town Square shopping center close to the airport, and curbside areas in Downtown Las Vegas. While Uber and Motional are optimistic about future expansions, they have not disclosed specific plans. Users looking to increase their chances of being matched with a robotaxi can activate the autonomous vehicle pickup feature in the Uber app. The companies have announced their goal to operate a fully driverless service in Las Vegas by year-end. This launch marks a significant turnaround for Motional, which faced challenges two years ago when it struggled to meet its initial goals for a robotaxi service in collaboration with Lyft. Following Aptiv's withdrawal from funding the joint venture, Hyundai ultimately decided to invest an additional $1 billion in Motional, leading to a company restructuring that included a reduction of its workforce by approximately 40%. They shifted their approach to developing autonomous vehicle technology, emphasizing neural networks to enhance scalability and affordability. Motional's president and CEO, Laura Major, highlighted the potential of advancements in AI during a recent presentation in Las Vegas. The company paused its commercial activities to focus on improvements, allowing them to accelerate their progress in the long term. After conducting successful demo drives at the Consumer Electronics Show, Motional has been testing its robotaxi service with employees in Las Vegas, while also planning further expansions with both Uber and Lyft. Uber continues to forge partnerships in the autonomous vehicle space, recently announcing collaborations with over 25 global companies. This week, they revealed plans to integrate self-driving Nissan Leaf EVs in Tokyo, powered by Wayve, and to introduce Zoox robotaxis into their Las Vegas operations later this year.