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Uber will bring its premium robotaxi service to Houston in 2027
TechCrunch • • business
Key Points:
- Uber plans to launch a premium robotaxi service in Houston by mid-2027 through its partnership with EV maker Lucid and autonomous vehicle startup Nuro, marking its second U.S. market after San Francisco.
- The robotaxi service will compete directly with Waymo, which currently operates commercial autonomous vehicle services in both San Francisco and Houston.
- Nuro has been testing Lucid Gravity SUVs equipped with its self-driving technology in San Francisco and Houston, with safety operators still present as fully driverless operations are pending regulatory approval.
- Uber is investing in the rider experience and expanding its physical infrastructure in Houston, including a 50,000-square-foot depot and charging facilities to support the upcoming robotaxi fleet.
- The partnership benefits Nuro by shifting its focus to licensing self-driving technology, while providing Lucid with a new avenue to scale production amid challenges in the competitive EV market.
