Uber is bringing its driverless ride-hailing ambitions to Houston, with robotaxi vehicles built on the Lucid Gravity SUV platform and powered by Nuro’s Level 4 autonomous driving technology. Testing vehicles have already been spotted on Houston streets as of April 2026, setting the stage for what could become one of the most closely watched autonomous vehicle deployments in the US.
The partnership, which was officially unveiled at CES 2026 in January, represents Uber’s latest push into the autonomous ride-hailing space. On-road testing began in December 2025, and the companies are targeting deployment of 20,000 or more vehicles across US and international markets over time.
What Uber is actually building here
Lucid provides the hardware, specifically production-intent versions of its Gravity SUV. Nuro contributes the autonomy stack, its Level 4 self-driving software that handles the actual driving without a human behind the wheel. Uber supplies the platform, connecting autonomous vehicles with paying passengers.
The first passenger rides are targeted for late 2026, with the San Francisco Bay Area serving as the initial launch market. Houston, for now, functions as a testing ground for operational validation. As of mid-2026, Uber’s own website confirms that no autonomous rides are currently available in the city.
