New Lucid Gravity Robotaxi Puts Safety First As Tesla Stumbles originally appeared on Autoblog.
Uber and Lucid commit to six-year deal
Just a few weeks after Tesla launched its robotaxi service, Lucid has fought back with its own autonomous robotaxi program. Joining forces with Nuro and Uber, Lucid’s robotaxi will launch later next in a major US city. Lucid will leverage Uber’s extensive global network and the Nuro Driver Level 4 autonomy system, which will integrate with the software-defined architecture of the brand’s electric SUV, the Gravity.
At Least 20,000 Lucid Robotaxis To Be Deployed
The Lucid robotaxis will be owned and operated by Uber or the transportation company’s third-party fleet owners. These Gravity SUVs will be exclusively available to riders via the Uber platform. A prototype of the robotaxi is already being tested on a closed circuit at Nuro’s Las Vegas proving grounds; the tech company shared a video of the Gravity effortlessly steering itself between lanes and around obstacles.
“Autonomous vehicles have enormous potential to transform our cities for the better,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. “We’re thrilled to partner with Nuro and Lucid on this new robotaxi program, purpose-built just for the Uber platform, to safely bring the magic of autonomous driving to more people across the world.”
LucidNuro has great confidence in its Level 4 system, which it says makes use of both AI-powered self-driving software and automotive-grade hardware. The hardware will be added into Gravity SUV’s on Lucid’s assembly line.
“Nuro has spent nearly a decade building an AI-first autonomy system that’s safe, scalable, and vehicle-agnostic, proven through five years of driverless deployments across multiple U.S. cities and states,” said Jiajun Zhu, Co-Founder and CEO at Nuro.
Related: Waymo Won’t Like Tesla’s Latest Robotaxi Announcement
Gravity’s Long Range Ideal For Robotaxi Use
LucidWith the ability to cover up to 450 miles on a single charge, the Gravity SUV is expected to function well as a robotaxi, since it will need less downtime for recharging. This way, vehicles will be available for riders more often. Tesla’s own Model Y is being used as the brand’s robotaxi, but that has nowhere near the range of the Lucid Gravity.
What Lucid, Nuro, and Uber will now want to avoid is the same dodgy start that Tesla’s robotaxi has had. Days after launching, Tesla robotaxis were seen breaking various traffic laws, such as breaking the speed limit and stopping in the middle of intersections. One was even involved in a minor crash.
Nuro says that a “comprehensive safety case” using multiple simulations will ensure that its Gravity robotaxi is safe. This regimen will include supervised on-road testing.
Tesla may have gotten a headstart, but Lucid’s robotaxi may end up being the better service in the longer term. We’ll be able to answer that definitively when these high-tech Gravity SUVs start hitting the road.
Related: Lucid Gravity Review: As Close As You Can Get to Perfect
New Lucid Gravity Robotaxi Puts Safety First As Tesla Stumbles first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 18, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
