Uber unveils new services as it prepares to bring robotaxis to L.A. soon

Uber announced a new set of services to support ride-hailing for autonomous vehicles ahead of its planned launch of robotaxis in Los Angeles in the coming months.

Uber’s new program, called Uber Autonomous Solutions, aims to give robotaxi ventures easy access to Uber’s customers, software and infrastructure.

Participating companies would get access to Uber’s platform, one of the most widely used ride-hailing apps in the world, as well as unique data Uber has collected from busy streets and pickup areas.

“When partners plug into Uber’s network, they can scale more efficiently, operate more reliably, and move faster,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of autonomous mobility and delivery.

Under a partnership with Volkswagen announced last year, Uber plans to offer a self-driving taxi network for shared rides that shuttle multiple passengers. It said that it plans to launch the service in Los Angeles early this year, and testing has begun.

The company said that the ride-hailing service will use an autonomous electric minivan from Volkswagen called the ID. Buzz. The effort will rely on autonomous technology from the Volkswagen-owned tech brand MOIA.

The Volkswagen-Uber partnership could be one of many — Uber’s announcement this week outlined a range of tools and software it’s offering to companies looking to scale autonomous vehicle operations.

“Uber has pulled together a whole bunch of tools that will make it easier for robotaxi developers or robotaxi vehicle owners to bring their vehicles to the Uber platform,” said auto analyst Brian Moody. “Most of them don’t really want to be in the business of owning and operating the vehicles.”

Uber isn’t new to the autonomous vehicle space. It attempted to develop its own AV but gave up in 2020. The company is now leaning toward a model in which other companies develop the technology for robotaxis and Uber makes money from them through its app.

Uber already has a partnership with the Mountain View-based autonomous ride-hailing company Waymo. In Austin and Atlanta, customers can book a Waymo vehicle through the Uber app,

The San Francisco-based Uber is also preparing to launch a robotaxi in collaboration with Lucid, a Silicon Valley-based electric vehicle maker, and Nuro, an artificial intelligence company. The companies did not say where the robotaxi would be first available, but said it would launch in late 2026.

In a news release from Nuro, the company described the vehicle as the “industry’s most luxurious robotaxi.” It will feature an Uber-built software interface for riders that’s also offered as part of Uber Autonomous Solutions.

“Autonomous technology has remarkable potential to make transportation safer and more affordable,” said Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi in a statement Monday. “For more than a decade, Uber has helped set the standard for on-demand mobility.”

This month, Uber announced it would spend $100 million to build fast-charging stations for electric autonomous vehicles in Los Angeles, the Bay Area and Dallas. The move further solidified Uber’s commitment to the robotaxi market.

Uber isn’t the only one in the race to get more robotaxis on the road.

Waymo is among the top players in the robotaxi industry, with fully driverless services operating in around 10 cities. Waymo arrived in Los Angeles in 2024.

Elon Musk has also been trying to break into the industry with his Tesla robotaxi, which began serving customers in Austin in the summer. In March, Tesla took a step toward autonomous vehicle services in California by applying for a transportation-related permit.