Uber and Rivian to Launch Robotaxi Service in California
Uber and Rivian announced a major partnership to deploy autonomous Rivian R2 vehicles across North America and Europe. The deal could put as many as 50,000 self-driving R2s into service by 2031.
Deal specifics
Uber will begin by buying 10,000 fully autonomous R2 vehicles. The company also holds an option to buy 40,000 additional R2s in 2030.
Uber’s investment depends on autonomous performance milestones. The total investment could reach $1.25 billion through 2031.
Production and pricing
Rivian plans to offer the R2 as a lower-priced SUV for consumers. The company has set a starting consumer price of $48,490 for 2027 deliveries.
Rivian announced its third-generation autonomy platform in December. That system will appear in the R2 in late 2026.
Autonomy and sensors
The third-generation stack targets level 4 autonomy. It pairs 11 cameras, five radars and one lidar sensor.
Rivian says the hardware and software aim to create a safe autonomous platform.
Deployment timeline and markets
Initial robotaxi deployments are slated for San Francisco and Miami in 2028. Those two cities will be followed by an additional 23 cities.
The vehicles are intended for U.S., Canadian and European markets. The Rivian robotaxis will be available exclusively through the Uber app.
Strategic context
This move adds to Uber’s growing role in the robotaxi market. Uber launched Uber Autonomous Solutions last month to offer services, data and software to robotaxi operators.
Uber already has partnerships across the sector. These include deals with Volkswagen for self-driving ID. Buzz minivans in Los Angeles, a planned robotaxi effort with Lucid later this year, and collaborations with Waymo in Austin and Atlanta.
Together, Uber and Rivian aim to bring robotaxi service to California cities. The partnership will compete with Waymo, Tesla, and Amazon-backed Zoox.
Market reaction and company outlook
Uber has set aside $300 million so far for the project. The full commitment could grow if milestones are met.
Investors recently rewarded Rivian after stronger-than-expected yearly results. The company has still reduced staff, cutting hundreds of jobs over the past year.
Stock moves
Uber shares have fallen about 8 percent year-to-date. They slid roughly 2 percent on Thursday to close at $75.34.
Rivian shares are down about 18 percent this year. They rose nearly 4 percent on Thursday to $16.12.
Competition and public services
Waymo operates in about 10 major cities today. Zoox runs purpose-built autonomous vehicles without steering wheels or pedals in San Francisco and Las Vegas.
Rivian’s R2 will face established and emerging rivals as it scales. The partnership with Uber gives Rivian direct access to ride-hailing demand and data.
Filmogaz.com will continue to monitor developments as the program moves toward testing and public deployment. The arrangement could reshape urban mobility in several major markets.
