The new robotaxi service will launch next year with the Gravity SUV
- Uber is gearing up to launch a new robotaxi service that will use the Lucid Gravity.
- 20,000+ robotaxis are slated to be launched in dozens of markets in the coming years.
- The service is scheduled to be launched in the United States next year, in a “major city.”
Lucid has been turning out long-range electric vehicles for years, but the company largely flies under the radar. That’s about to change as Uber plans to deploy at least 20,000 Lucid vehicles over six years in dozens of markets around the world.
This is a huge win for the automaker, which only delivered 10,241 vehicles last year. Besides boosting brand awareness, it will help to showcase their luxury and technology.
More: Lucid Gravity SUV Arrives With 800 HP and 440 Miles Of Range
The move is the result of a three-way partnership between Lucid, Nuro, and Uber for a next-generation autonomous robotaxi. It’s expected to be launched next year in a major US city, although the companies were hesitant to say which one.
Details about the service are slim, but the companies released pictures and video of a specially modified Gravity SUV. It features a roof-mounted pod that appears to be decked out in cameras and sensors that provide a 360° view of the vehicle’s surroundings.
The cameras and sensors will feed information to the Nuro Driver, which is a Level 4 autonomous driving system. The first prototype is already being tested at a Las Vegas proving ground and road-going models will be “owned and operated by Uber or its third-party fleet partners, and made available to riders exclusively via the Uber platform.”
Lucid went on to say the robotaxi will leverage the Gravity’s “advanced technology platform, redundant electrical and controls architectures, and long range, which together make it an ideal fit for use in a scalable robotaxi offering.” The automaker added all the self-driving hardware will be installed on their assembly line and the vehicles will receive Nuro’s software when commissioned by Uber.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said, “Autonomous vehicles have enormous potential to transform our cities for the better. We’re thrilled to partner with Nuro and Lucid on this new robotaxi program, purpose-built just for the Uber platform, to safely bring the magic of autonomous driving to more people across the world.”
CNBC reports Uber will be investing $300 million into Lucid as part of the deal. Nuro, on the other hand, is slated to receive a “multi-hundred-million-dollar investment.”
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