In a new technological advancement, Uber and Hyundai Motor-backed autonomous vehicle firm Motional launched a commercial robotaxi service in Las Vegas on Friday, March 13, the latest in a string of similar tie-ups as the ride-hailing platform doubles down on its self-driving taxi strategy.
Uber has already partnered with major players in the space, including Baidu, Amazon's Zoox, Nissan and British startup Wayve, and said it will invest more than $100 million to develop autonomous vehicle charging hubs as the sector races to commercialize driverless mobility at scale.
Uber's tie-up with Motional will allow Las Vegas users on its app to hail a driverless electric vehicle at no extra cost, the company said.
The service will cover pick-up zones along Las Vegas Boulevard, including Resorts World, Encore at the Wynn, Westgate Resort & Casino, Downtown Las Vegas, and Town Square near the airport.
Users requesting UberX, Uber Electric, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric may be matched with a Motional IONIQ 5 robotaxi, with the option to switch to a conventional ride.
Motional's IONIQ 5 is among the first SAE Level 4-capable autonomous vehicles certified under the U.S.'s Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, according to Uber.
The vehicles will initially operate with a human safety operator behind the wheel, with a fully driverless service expected to be launched by late 2026.
Earlier this week, Uber signed a multi-year deal to deploy Amazon's self-driving unit, Zoox's robotaxis, on its platform, with limited services already live in Las Vegas and a pilot rider program underway in San Francisco.
Uber, Wayve and Nissan agreed to collaborate, targeting a pilot robotaxi launch in Tokyo by late 2026, marking Uber's first autonomous vehicle partnership in Japan.