SAN FRANCISCO, June 3 - Uber has committed nearly half a billion dollars to Nuro, the self-driving vehicle startup, according to two people directly familiar with the matter. The commitment combines an initial reported investment, participation in a $203 million funding round that valued Nuro at $6 billion, and an unreported follow-on investment that substantially increased Uber’s total exposure to the company.
The financial links between the ride-hailing company and Nuro reveal the depth of Uber’s commercial alignment with autonomous-vehicle developers as the robotaxi sector gains renewed momentum. After several years of setbacks for driverless car projects, development, testing and early commercial deployments are now accelerating, led by several major players in the industry.
Uber has framed itself as a platform partner for emerging autonomous mobility services and has formed alliances with a range of self-driving ventures and vehicle makers globally. The company’s collaborations include relationships with Baidu, Rivian, Wayve and a partnership with Waymo in select U.S. cities. A prominent element of its commitment to Nuro is a three-way arrangement involving electric vehicle maker Lucid. Under that deal, Uber, Nuro and Lucid intend to deploy 35,000 robotaxis that would pair Lucid’s Gravity SUVs and other upcoming midsize Lucid vehicles with Nuro’s self-driving technology and Uber’s customer-facing platform.
Prior public disclosures from Uber noted a $500 million investment in Lucid and indicated plans for a multi-hundred-million dollar investment in Nuro. The specific magnitude and additional follow-on investment by Uber in Nuro had not been publicly reported until now. The two people with direct knowledge of the transactions said Uber’s later, unreported funding was significantly larger than its initial participation in the $203 million round.
Part of Uber’s support for Nuro is structured as contingent funding tied to development and commercial milestones. According to one of the sources, early milestones have already been met on schedule, which triggered some of Uber’s payments. The remainder of the committed funds is linked to targets that include:
- testing without a safety driver - planned for later this year,
- conducting passenger-carrying trials in driverless vehicles - expected by the end of this year,
- and scaling up the service in the following year.
Both Uber and Nuro declined to comment on these details.
For Nuro, the expanded funding provides important runway as it shifts from its earlier work on small delivery robots to licensing its self-driving systems to automakers and mobility companies. The company pivoted in 2024 toward commercializing its autonomous software and is currently testing vehicles with safety drivers. Nuro’s service is slated to begin operations in the San Francisco Bay Area later this year, according to the timeline referenced by the sources.
Regulatory steps for Nuro’s testing program have been advancing. In April, Nuro obtained a California permit allowing Gravity autonomous vehicles to be tested without a safety driver in certain counties. In May, it received clearance to carry passengers during testing while still using drivers. Nuro’s investor base includes firms such as Nvidia and SoftBank.
The disclosed and previously undisclosed investments by Uber illuminate the scale of financial ties between a major mobility platform and an autonomous technology developer at a time when the robotaxi industry is attempting a renewed push toward commercial operation. The full commitment from Uber - combining earlier public investments and follow-on funds tied to measurable technical and commercial milestones - approaches $500 million according to the people familiar with the arrangements.
Key Points
- Uber’s total commitment to Nuro is approaching $500 million, combining an initial participation in a $203 million funding round and a larger unreported follow-on investment.
- The companies are part of a three-way plan with Lucid to deploy 35,000 robotaxis using Lucid Gravity SUVs, Nuro’s autonomous software and Uber’s platform.
- Sectors impacted include mobility services, automotive manufacturing, and autonomous technology suppliers.
Risks and Uncertainties
- Funding is contingent on future milestones - remaining payments depend on successful driverless testing and passenger-carrying trials, which are scheduled but not yet completed; this affects the mobility and automotive sectors.
- Commercial scale-up remains a future objective - broader deployment next year is planned but not guaranteed, creating uncertainty for suppliers and service operators.
- Regulatory and testing clearances are progressing but still transitional - permits for driverless testing and passenger trials have been granted in some instances, yet broader regulatory approvals could influence timelines and costs.