Uber Technologies (UBER), Nuro, and Lucid Group have revealed that Houston will be the second city to host their robotaxi service, with plans to kick off commercial operations around mid-2027.
This service will be available exclusively through the Uber app after an initial launch in the San Francisco Bay Area later this year. Riders will have the option to hail self-driving cars directly from Uber's platform, and the companies are looking to roll out the service in many more markets in the coming years.
Uber has lined up a 50,000-square-foot facility and a dedicated charging center in Houston to support its fleet. Construction on these facilities is expected to start in early 2027 and will take care of vehicle charging, maintenance, repairs, and cleaning operations.
The robotaxi fleet will consist of the Lucid Gravity, powered by Nuro's Level 4 autonomous driving tech. These vehicles will offer configurations for five or seven passengers and come equipped with a roof-mounted sensor system to keep track of road conditions and nearby traffic.
Nuro has been testing its autonomous vehicles in Houston since 2019, using the city's varied driving conditions—including heavy rain, storms, and road debris—to enhance its technology. Currently, the company runs nearly 100 test vehicles throughout Texas and California, with testing happening around the clock.
This partnership, first announced back in 2025, aims to roll out at least 35,000 autonomous vehicles worldwide over time. The vehicles will be owned and operated by Uber and its fleet partners, allowing the company to maintain better control over the customer experience as it grows its autonomous mobility business.
For Lucid, getting into the robotaxi market represents a big chance for growth as the electric vehicle maker searches for new revenue sources and works to increase the adoption of its vehicle platform.
Choosing Houston also highlights the city's emerging role as a key player for testing and deploying autonomous vehicles in the U.S.
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