TLDR
- The three-company partnership showed off its autonomous ridehail vehicle at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, revealing both the exterior design and interior passenger features.
- Testing with safety drivers supervising the robotaxis started last month on Bay Area roads, using prototype versions of the vehicle equipped with Nuro’s self-driving software.
- The autonomous vehicle uses Lucid’s electric Gravity SUV as its base and includes a custom roof module packed with sensors including lidar, cameras, and radar systems.
- Passengers will be able to adjust temperature settings, select music, and view what the vehicle detects through touchscreens, with the system showing pedestrians, traffic signals, and lane changes.
- Manufacturing of the robotaxi at Lucid’s facility in Arizona is scheduled for later in 2026, with ride services expected to start in San Francisco afterward.
Uber Partners With Lucid and Nuro for Self-Driving Taxi Service Starting in 2026
Three major companies announced their collaboration on an autonomous taxi service at CES 2026. Lucid, Nuro, and Uber presented the vehicle they plan to use for driverless rides. The unveiling took place January 5 at the Las Vegas technology conference.
The partners confirmed they already started road tests in December. Nuro oversees the testing program using prototype vehicles in the San Francisco Bay Area. Safety operators sit in the vehicles during these test drives to monitor the autonomous systems.
The self-driving taxi is built using Lucid’s Gravity electric SUV. Engineers added a specialized roof module that houses the sensor equipment. This module contains cameras, solid-state lidar, and radar components that work together to detect the vehicle’s surroundings in all directions.
Nuro developed the Level 4 autonomous driving software that powers the vehicle. Level 4 systems can drive without human control in certain operating conditions. NVIDIA provides the computing hardware through its DRIVE AGX Thor platform, which processes the AI algorithms that make driving decisions.
Unveiled today. Launching later this year.
Today at CES, Lucid, @nuro, and @Uber unveiled the production-intent vehicle and in-cabin experience for our upcoming global robotaxi service.
Featuring an intuitive rider experience designed by Uber, Nuro’s proven autonomy technology,… pic.twitter.com/m9wFuUVa0z
— Lucid Motors (@LucidMotors) January 5, 2026
What Riders Will Experience
The interior design came from Uber’s team. Passengers access touchscreen displays that control various cabin functions. These screens let riders adjust seat heating, change the temperature, and choose audio entertainment.
A visualization system shows passengers what the sensors detect outside. The display presents the vehicle’s intended route and explains its actions. Riders can see when the robotaxi yields to people crossing the street, responds to traffic signals, or switches lanes.
The roof module includes LED lights that help riders find their vehicle. These lights can show a passenger’s initials when the car arrives for pickup. The lights also provide status information throughout the ride from arrival to destination.
The cabin can hold up to six people at once. The interior offers space for luggage and bags. Sarfraz Maredia, who leads autonomous mobility and delivery at Uber, described the project as bringing a new option for autonomous transportation to the Bay Area.
Company Roles and Business Goals
Each company contributes specific expertise to the venture. Lucid handles the vehicle manufacturing and electric platform. Nuro provides the self-driving technology and testing procedures. Uber supplies the ridehailing app and customer network.
Uber previously had its own autonomous vehicle division. The company sold that unit to Aurora Innovation in 2020. Uber now works with multiple self-driving technology developers instead of building its own systems.
The robotaxi program gives Lucid a new business direction beyond selling cars to individual buyers. The electric vehicle maker struggles with weak sales demand and high spending. On January 5, Lucid reported delivery numbers for 2025 that slightly exceeded expectations, but the company built more vehicles than it sold.
Nuro has experience operating autonomous vehicles commercially. Dave Ferguson, who co-founded and co-leads Nuro, said the robotaxi debut represents progress toward wider autonomous service. The company developed its safety validation process through previous deployments.
Testing Process and Timeline
The testing program includes multiple validation methods. Nuro conducts drives on public streets with safety operators present. The company also tests vehicles on closed courses without other traffic. Computer simulations run thousands of additional scenarios to check system performance.
Nuro’s autonomous technology uses what the company calls an end-to-end AI foundation model. This approach combines advanced artificial intelligence with safety verification systems. Kay Stepper, who oversees advanced driver assistance and autonomous programs at Lucid, said the partnership creates a unique experience by combining vehicle engineering with autonomous technology and ridehailing scale.
The companies expect to begin building the robotaxi at Lucid’s Arizona manufacturing plant later this year. This timeline depends on completing final system validation. Once production starts, the partners plan to launch the ridehailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area during 2026.
The robotaxi was displayed at NVIDIA’s showcase at the Fontainebleau Hotel during CES. The vehicle remained on view through January 8 for conference attendees. The partnership enters a competitive field that includes Waymo, owned by Alphabet, and Tesla’s planned robotaxi service.





