• Uber is investing $300 million in Lucid for a robotaxi program.
• The deal includes deploying 20,000 Lucid Gravity SUVs equipped with self-driving technology.
• Robotaxi operations are expected to launch in a major U.S. city by late 2026.

Uber has announced a significant investment of $300 million in electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid as part of a new robotaxi initiative. This deal aims to deploy over 20,000 Lucid Gravity SUVs, which will be equipped with autonomous driving technology from the startup Nuro. The initial rollout of the robotaxi service is expected to start in a major U.S. city in late 2026, according to Business Insider, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.

Uber's renewed commitment to autonomous vehicles follows its exit from the sector in 2020, after which it shifted focus towards collaborations with technology providers. The company plans for the robotaxi program's fleet to incorporate technology from Nuro, which specializes in self-driving applications. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi remarked, “Autonomous vehicles have enormous potential to transform our cities for the better,” highlighting the transformative vision behind this investment, as noted by Business Insider and Reuters.

In the competitive landscape of robotaxis, Uber's investment comes as competitors like Waymo and Tesla make strides in the field. Tesla has begun trials with its robotaxi service in Austin, while Waymo operates taxi services in multiple states. The launch of Uber's robotaxi initiative underscores its competitive strategy to regain traction in the autonomous driving space, amid a wave of renewed financing for such technologies, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.

The partnership with Lucid reflects not only a push to develop new autonomous fleets but also illustrates the challenges in commercializing AV technology, which have been complicated by regulatory hurdles and high operational costs. Despite these challenges, Uber's efforts signal a strong commitment to integrating advanced technologies for ridesharing, with Lucid recently reporting a significant surge in stock prices following the announcement, according to Business Insider, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.