Uber’s robotaxi plan and the role of fleet operators
Uber’s deals with Lucid and Nuro, the vehicle commitments, and why Uber plans to own and run robotaxis with third-party fleet operators.
By Fleetsly · Updated
Uber doesn’t build self-driving cars. It partners with companies that do, and puts their vehicles on its network. Its deal with Lucid and Nuro is different from most, because Uber plans to own the cars and run them together with third-party fleet operators. Here is what the companies have announced, as of October 2026.
The Lucid and Nuro deal
- Nuro supplies the self-driving system, which Uber licenses.
- Lucid supplies the vehicles, starting with the Gravity SUV.
- Uber and its designated fleet operators committed to buy at least 20,000 Lucid Gravity vehicles over six years after production starts. A second agreement in 2026 raised the total commitment to at least 35,000 vehicles, adding Lucid’s midsize model, targeted for production in late 2028.
- On-road testing began in late 2025, and the companies target a first launch in late 2026.
These are company commitments and targets, not delivered vehicles. Uber also has more than a dozen other autonomous vehicle partnerships, including Waymo.
Where fleet operators come in
Owning tens of thousands of robotaxis means someone has to charge, clean, inspect, repair and stage them every day in every city. In Uber’s model, that is the job of third-party fleet operators, the same kind of companies that run Waymo’s depots. See Who runs Waymo’s fleet? for who those operators are today.
What it means for owners and operators
- More networks means more demand for companies that can run robotaxi depots well.
- Fleet operators will be measured on uptime and cost per mile, so the depot routine and the numbers per car matter. Our guide Robotaxi uptime explains why.
- For how the money flows between network, owner and operator, read The robotaxi business model.