Uber Robotaxi Program Expands to Houston with Lucid and Nuro Autonomous Fleet Plans

The Uber Technologies robotaxi program continues to advance as the company, alongside Nuro Inc. and the Lucid Group, confirmed plans to introduce autonomous ride-hailing services in Houston by mid-2027. The deployment is expected to become the second operational market for the robotaxi initiative after its planned launch in the San Francisco Bay Area during 2026. The announcement highlights the companies’ ongoing efforts to scale commercial autonomous mobility services while building the infrastructure required to support large-scale fleet operations in the United States.

Autonomous Vehicle Testing Continues in Houston

Nuro is currently conducting autonomous on-road testing in Houston with trained safety operators present in the vehicles. These activities form a critical part of the validation process as the companies prepare for commercial deployment. The engineering fleet supporting the testing program consists of nearly 100 vehicles operating across California and Texas. The fleet size is expected to increase in the coming weeks as additional vehicles enter testing programs focused on validating system performance, safety requirements, and regulatory compliance.

Production Validation Vehicles Enter Development Phase

Lucid has started manufacturing the first production validation robotaxis at its Casa Grande, Arizona manufacturing facility. These vehicles will play an important role in safety evaluations and homologation activities before public deployment. The validation process is designed to ensure that autonomous systems meet operational, regulatory, and performance standards. Expanding the production validation fleet marks a significant milestone as the partners move from engineering development toward commercial readiness.

Houston Fleet Operations Infrastructure Established

Uber announced that it has secured a dedicated 50,000-square-foot depot facility along with a charging site in Houston. The infrastructure is intended to support day-to-day robotaxi operations and fleet management activities. Services planned at the facility include vehicle charging, maintenance, repairs, cleaning, and operational support. Establishing dedicated infrastructure is considered a key requirement for efficiently managing autonomous fleets and ensuring high vehicle availability once commercial operations begin.

Robotaxi Platform and Vehicle Integration

The autonomous ride-hailing service will utilize the Lucid Gravity and future Lucid Midsize vehicles integrated with the Nuro Driver Level 4 autonomy platform. Under the partnership structure, Nuro will provide the autonomous driving technology while Lucid supplies the vehicle platform. Uber will oversee the passenger-facing experience, including personalization features, rider controls, and customer support functions. Vehicles operating within the service will be owned and managed by Uber and its fleet partners, creating an integrated ecosystem that combines autonomous technology, premium vehicle platforms, and ride-hailing services.

Key Elements of the Houston Robotaxi Program

• Houston targeted as the second robotaxi market in mid-2027.
• San Francisco Bay Area launch planned before Houston deployment.
• Nearly 100 autonomous test vehicles operating across California and Texas.
• Lucid producing validation robotaxis in Arizona for testing and homologation.
• Uber secured a dedicated charging and fleet operations facility in Houston.
• Lucid Gravity and future Lucid Midsize vehicles will use the Nuro Driver platform.

Robotaxi Program Overview

Key details of the announced autonomous mobility initiative are summarized below.

The collaboration between Uber, Nuro, and Lucid demonstrates how vehicle manufacturers, autonomous technology developers, and mobility service providers are working together to accelerate the commercialization of self-driving transportation. With dedicated testing programs, validation vehicles, and operational infrastructure already in development, the partners are positioning themselves for the next stage of robotaxi deployment in major U.S. markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Uber planning to launch its Houston robotaxi service?
The Houston robotaxi service is currently targeted for a mid-2027 launch as part of Uber’s broader autonomous mobility strategy. Houston is expected to become the second deployment market after the planned San Francisco Bay Area rollout in 2026. Before commercial operations begin, the companies will continue autonomous testing, vehicle validation, safety assessments, and infrastructure development to ensure the fleet meets operational and regulatory requirements.

Which vehicles and technology will be used in the robotaxi fleet?
The service will utilize Lucid Gravity vehicles and future Lucid Midsize models equipped with Nuro’s Driver Level 4 autonomous driving platform. Nuro supplies the self-driving technology, while Lucid provides the vehicle architecture. Uber manages the customer-facing experience, including rider controls, personalization features, and support services. The vehicles will be owned and operated by Uber and its fleet partners, supported by dedicated charging and maintenance facilities.