Outlook Business Desk
Uber Technologies has partnered with AI chipmaker Nvidia to introduce robotaxis powered by advanced autonomous driving software. The service will first launch in Los Angeles and San Francisco in 2027, before scaling operations to 28 cities worldwide by 2028.
The companies aim to roll out autonomous ride-hailing services across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. They will begin with data-gathering vehicles to learn local road conditions, then shift to supervised operations before achieving fully driverless Level 4 deployment.
Uber’s robotaxis will run on Nvidia’s DRIVE Hyperion autonomous vehicle platform. They will also integrate Alpamayo, a reasoning-based AI model built to handle complex road situations, helping improve safety, efficiency and adaptability across different urban traffic environments.
The rollout will start with data-collection vehicles to train systems on local driving conditions, followed by supervised operations. Uber and Nvidia will then move towards fully autonomous Level 4 services, introducing driverless rides in phases to ensure safety and reliability.
Uber’s partnership with Nvidia reflects its broader approach to autonomous mobility. The company is also working with multiple industry players instead of building its own technology, alongside existing collaborations with Lucid Group and Nuro to expand robotaxi services on its platform.
As robotaxis expand into more cities, competition is also accelerating. Alphabet’s Waymo continues to lead with established services in Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles, while Tesla plans to use its manufacturing scale and camera-led autonomous technology to build its own fleet.
Meanwhile, Waymo operates one of the most advanced commercial robotaxi networks, providing fully driverless rides across several cities. Its consistent fleet expansion has made it a key benchmark in autonomous ride-hailing, shaping competition for players such as Uber and Tesla.