Uber is gearing up to launch its self-driving partnership with autonomous vehicle company Nuro and electric vehicle maker Lucid Motors later this year, and it’s using CES to showcase what’s in store for future riders.
Uber Unveils Its ‘Most Luxurious Robotaxi,’ in Partnership With Lucid and Nuro
An interactive screen in the Lucid Gravity robotaxi will allow riders to control temperature and music.
Uber says this is the first time it’s “designing the in-vehicle rider experience.” That’ll include interactive screens that can activate heated seats, control the temperature and play music. There will also be options for contacting support or having the vehicle pull over. (Again, that’s similar to what you’ll see on other robotaxis from companies like Waymo or Zoox).
The Lucid Gravity robotaxi can seat up to six passengers, which should be an advantage over vehicles from Waymo and Zoox, which can only fit up to four. The Gravity will also have “generous luggage space,” though it’s not clear exactly how many bags that might accommodate.
Watch this: This Robotaxi Looks and Drives Like No Car You’ve Ever Seen Before
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Uber aims to deploy at least 20,000 Lucid vehicles with the Nuro Driver onboard over the next six years and across multiple locations, following this year’s San Francisco launch. The companies began autonomous on-road testing, supervised by human operators, in the Bay Area last month.
“By combining leading expertise in electric vehicles, autonomy and ride-hailing, we’re building a unique new option for affordable and scalable autonomous rides in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond,” Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of Autonomous Mobility and Delivery, said in a statement.
Production on the Lucid Gravity robotaxi is scheduled to begin later this year at the company’s Arizona factory, pending final validation.
