What Will Uber's 2027 US Robotaxi Service Plan Look Like?

Houston, Texas has been selected by Uber as the second American city for the rollout of its autonomous robotaxi initiative.

To support its fleet and safety operations, Uber has procured partnerships with autonomous vehicle specialists Nuro and Lucid Group.

Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility and Delivery at Uber, says the city is an ideal area for launch: “Houston marks an important next step in our partnership with Lucid and Nuro as we expand autonomous mobility to more riders throughout the world.

“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.”

Uber's plans in Houston

To facilitate its Level 4 autonomous operations on public roads in Houston, Uber has leveraged Nuro’s technology since 2019. This advanced system features a redundant sensor suite comprising a roof-mounted halo, radar, lidar and cameras. Uber’s current activities in the city involve continuous 24/7 on-road operations, encompassing supervised public-road testing, closed-course evaluations and simulations.

Currently, Uber is conducting testing measures in just two US cities: Houston and San Francisco. While San Francisco is set to launch later this year, the Houston rollout is scheduled for 2027, with additional locations to be disclosed at a later date.

Andrew Chapin, COO at Nuro, says: “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.

“Houston’s large, complex metro area is an ideal market for demonstrating how Nuro’s universal autonomy platform can generalise across different geographies and operating environments. We look forward to continued engagement with the community as we prepare to launch service in 2027.”

To support its fleet of Lucid Gravity robotaxis, Uber has acquired a 50,000-square-foot operational facility and charging station in Houston. This site will serve as a central hub where the vehicles undergo cleaning, charging and routine maintenance. Additionally, the facility is equipped to handle repairs and oversee the various day-to-day operations required for the fleet.

Kay Stepper, VP of ADAS and Autonomy at Lucid, adds: “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.

“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.”