Nuro receives driverless testing permit ahead of Uber robotaxi service launch

Nuro has been granted a allow to start driverless testing of Lucid Gravity SUVs outfitted with its autonomous tech on California public roads — autos that can finally be utilized in Uber’s premium robotaxi service. However the Silicon Valley-based startup, backed by Nvidia and Uber, says it isn’t fairly prepared to start.

The California Division of Motor Automobiles, the company that regulates the testing and deployment of autonomous autos within the state, confirmed to TechCrunch on Tuesday that it modified Nuro’s driverless AV allow to incorporate Lucid Gravity autos.

Nuro has held a driverless allow for six years, however it solely utilized to function a low-speed delivery vehicle — a program that was scrapped when the startup pivoted its enterprise mannequin to give attention to licensing its know-how to firms like Uber.

This newest driverless allow permits Nuro to check the Lucid autos with no human security operator behind the wheel. Nuro spokesperson David Salguero instructed TechCrunch the corporate expects to start driverless testing later this yr, with out offering additional data on timing.

The driverless allow is one in all many regulatory hurdles that Nuro should clear earlier than Uber can launch its premium robotaxi service. Nuro may also must obtain a driverless ride-hailing allow from the California Public Utilities Fee and a deployment allow from the DMV.

For now, Nuro and Uber are testing the Lucid autos in autonomous mode with a human security operator within the driver’s seat. Final month, that testing was expanded to permit Uber staff to request an autonomous journey in a Lucid robotaxi — with a human security operator nonetheless on board — by means of the Uber app.

As Nuro makes progress on testing, Uber has upped its dedication to Lucid.

When the three-way deal was introduced in July 2025, Uber stated it could make investments $300 million in Lucid and purchase 20,000 robotaxi-ready Gravity autos. That has since been expanded to $500 million and a minimal of 35,000 robotaxis, with the settlement altering to incorporate a minimum of 10,000 Gravity SUVs and 25,000 EVs constructed on Lucid’s upcoming mid-size platform.

These EVs might be outfitted with Nuro’s autonomous automobile system, which is powered by Nvidia’s Drive AGX Thor pc. The Lucid Gravity robotaxi, which was revealed in January, is outfitted with high-resolution cameras, solid-state lidar sensors, and radars that assist the self-driving system understand the real-world atmosphere and function inside it.

Uber has additionally made a multimillion-dollar funding in Nuro.

Lucid has delivered 75 engineering autos to Nuro and Uber and testing and mileage accumulation is ongoing in a number of cities all through the US, the EV maker disclosed throughout its first-quarter earnings call on Tuesday.

Lucid stated Tuesday it’s on monitor for industrial robotaxi operations to start in late 2026. It’s doable that these robotaxi operations is not going to be driverless or might be restricted in another method, relying on regulatory approvals.

Nonetheless, Lucid executives struck a constructive tone throughout the name noting that every one the event and certifications are transferring alongside as anticipated.