Uber, Nuro, and Lucid to Bring Robotaxi Service to Houston in 2027

Key Terms

robotaxi technical

A robotaxi is a self-driving vehicle designed to transport passengers without a human driver. It operates autonomously, using sensors and computers to navigate roads and pick up riders, similar to a taxi service but without a driver. For investors, robotaxis represent a potential shift in transportation, promising lower costs and new opportunities in mobility services.

homologation technical

Homologation is the formal approval or certification from a regulatory body that a product, device, or process meets required safety, performance, or legal standards before it can be sold or used in a particular market. For investors, homologation is important because it unlocks a company’s ability to bring products to market and generate revenue—think of it like a vehicle passing inspection before it can legally drive on public roads, without which sales and growth can be blocked or delayed.

lidar technical

Lidar, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is a technology that uses laser beams to create detailed, three-dimensional maps of the environment. It works like a sophisticated eye that measures distances by bouncing light off objects, helping machines see and understand their surroundings. For investors, lidar is important because it enables advancements in autonomous vehicles, robotics, and mapping, which can drive innovation and growth in related industries.

radar technical

Radar is a shorthand meaning that a company, issue or development has been noticed and is being watched by investors, analysts or regulators. Like a blip appearing on a ship’s map, being on the radar matters because it signals potential action — increased buying or selling, closer scrutiny, or follow-up reporting — which can change a stock’s price or a firm’s regulatory and market prospects.

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• Houston named as the second planned deployment market, with service expected to launch in mid-2027, and dozens of additional markets over the coming years.
• Nuro is conducting 24/7 autonomous on-road testing with safety operators in Houston and the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Uber has secured a 50,000 sq ft Houston depot and additional pitstop to support future robotaxi fleet operations.

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER), Nuro, Inc. (“Nuro”), and Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: LCID) today announced Houston as the second planned market for their robotaxi program, following the San Francisco Bay Area launch later this year. The companies expect to launch the service in Houston in mid-2027 exclusively through the Uber network, with plans to expand the service to dozens of additional markets over the coming years.

Uber, Nuro, and Lucid announce plans to bring robotaxi service to Houston in 2027

Nuro is already conducting autonomous on-road testing with safety operators in Houston, marking an important step toward the program’s future commercial deployment in the city. The company is leading autonomous driving development and validation for the program through a measured approach that includes simulation, closed-course testing, and supervised public-road testing. The robotaxi engineering fleet supporting this work includes nearly 100 vehicles across California and Texas, with operations running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The test fleet is expected to expand further in the coming weeks as Lucid manufactures the first production validation robotaxis at its Arizona factory, which will also be used for safety testing and homologation.

It was also announced that Uber has secured a 50,000-square-foot depot facility and dedicated charging pitstop in Houston. The facilities will serve as the operational backbone for Uber’s autonomous robotaxi program—supporting a fleet of Lucid Gravity robotaxis powered by Nuro’s autonomous technology—and will enable Uber and its fleet partners to manage charging, maintenance, repairs, cleaning, and other day-to-day fleet operations at scale.

As the fourth-largest city in the U.S., Houston offers the scale, trip diversity, and clear regulatory framework that make it a compelling market for autonomous mobility. It is also a familiar market for Nuro, which has maintained a presence in the city since 2019 and conducted Level 4 autonomous operations on Houston public roads. Safety remains Nuro’s highest priority, and the company has built local experience and deep relationships with communities, first responders, and policymakers that inform its work today.

“Houston marks an important next step in our partnership with Lucid and Nuro as we expand autonomous mobility to more riders throughout the world,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery at Uber. “Together, we’re combining best-in-class vehicle and autonomy technology with Uber’s scale, fleet operations expertise, and infrastructure capabilities to build a service that can grow across dozens of markets in the years ahead.”

“Houston is a city Nuro knows well, and we’re excited to help bring this robotaxi service to the city through our partnership with Uber and Lucid,” said Andrew Chapin, Chief Operating Officer at Nuro. “Houston’s large, complex metro area is an ideal market for demonstrating how Nuro’s universal autonomy platform can generalize across different geographies and operating environments. We look forward to continued engagement with the community as we prepare to launch service in 2027.”

"Our partnership with Uber and Nuro continues to accelerate at a remarkable pace, and the launch of our program in Houston next year will be another major milestone," said Kay Stepper, Vice President of ADAS and Autonomy at Lucid. "Our rapid progress toward commercial launch showcases how Lucid's technology and engineering are ideally suited to power the future of autonomous mobility and we look forward to working with our partners to bring that premium experience to even more riders next year."

Announced in July 2025, the global robotaxi program brings together Lucid’s advanced electric vehicles and factory integration, Nuro’s Level 4 universal autonomy platform and validation expertise, and Uber’s global ride-hailing platform, fleet operations, and rider network. The program will initially launch in the San Francisco Bay Area later this year and calls for a minimum of 35,000 vehicles globally across dozens of markets over the coming years.

The robotaxi service will leverage the award-winning Lucid Gravity as well as future Lucid Midsize vehicles equipped with the Nuro Driver™, Nuro’s Level 4 universal autonomy platform, and includes a redundant sensor suite with cameras, lidar, radar, and a roof-mounted halo. Uber is designing the broader in-cabin experience, including personalization, support, and rider controls, with autonomy visualization provided by Nuro. The vehicles will be owned and operated by Uber and its fleet partners and made available to riders exclusively through the Uber network.

About Uber

Uber's mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 75 billion trips later, we're building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.

About Lucid Group

Lucid (NASDAQ: LCID) is a technology company creating exceptional mobility experiences through innovation to drive the world forward. Built on Lucid’s proprietary technology and software defined vehicle architectures, the company’s lineup of award-winning vehicles brings Lucid’s “Compromise Nothing™” approach to premium segments of the global automotive market. Lucid designs and engineers its products in-house and assembles at its vertically integrated facilities in Arizona and Saudi Arabia, enabling continuous innovation across vehicles, software, and advanced driver assistance and autonomy-ready capabilities.

About Nuro

Nuro is a physical AI company developing Level 4 autonomous driving technology for a wide range of vehicles, use cases, and markets. Its universal autonomy platform, powered by the Nuro Driver™, gives mobility partners the technology needed to deploy self-driving vehicles at scale. Drawing on years of real-world deployment experience and a flexible, partner-led business model, the company is working toward a future where millions of autonomous vehicles driven by Nuro help make everyday life safer, easier, and more connected.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements regarding Uber, Lucid, and Nuro (collectively, the “partners”), including statements about the planned robotaxi service in Houston and its expected timing. These statements reflect current expectations of the partners and are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of the partners’ control, that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the pace of technology development, testing and validation, operational outcomes and regulatory developments. These statements speak only as of the date of this communication, and none of the partners undertakes any obligation to update them except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260617621692/en/

Uber: press@uber.com
Nuro: press@nuro.ai
Lucid: media@lucidmotors.com

Source: Uber Technologies, Inc.