Uber and Nuro begin testing premium robotaxi service in San Francisco

In San Francisco, a new era of transportation is taking shape as Uber and Nuro begin testing a premium robotaxi service featuring the Lucid Gravity SUV. This sleek vehicle, equipped with an array of sensors and Nuro's advanced self-driving technology, is currently being utilized by select Uber employees who can request rides through the Uber app. Though this initiative is still in the testing phase and not yet open to the public, it represents a significant milestone in the partnership between Uber and Nuro, which was formed in July 2025 following a substantial investment. Uber committed $300 million to Lucid and has secured a deal for at least 20,000 of the Gravity SUVs over the next six years, which will be enhanced with Nuro's autonomous driving capabilities driven by Nvidia’s Drive AGX Thor computer. The Lucid Gravity robotaxi, unveiled earlier this year, boasts high-resolution cameras, solid-state lidar sensors, and radars that enable the vehicle to navigate its surroundings autonomously. Nuro has also received a substantial financial boost from Uber, with a multi-hundred-million dollar investment aimed at fostering the development of this innovative service. Uber's strategy involves owning and operating this premium robotaxi service, potentially with assistance from a third-party partner. Production of the specially modified Lucid Gravity vehicles is slated to commence in late 2026, as outlined in a regulatory filing from the previous year. Having successfully completed closed-course testing, Nuro has now moved to public road trials for its autonomous Lucid Gravity SUVs. The engineering fleet currently consists of 100 vehicles, which are actively gathering data and testing autonomous capabilities across various U.S. locations. The ongoing employee test rides are crucial for assessing the integration of the autonomy stack, vehicle performance, and overall rider experience in real-world conditions, particularly in managing the complex dynamics of pickups and drop-offs in the ride-hailing sector.