Uber and Motional launch commercial robotaxi service in Las Vegas

Uber and Hyundai Motor-backed autonomous vehicle firm Motional launched a commercial robotaxi service in Las Vegas on Friday, the latest in a string of similar tie-ups as the ride-hailing platform doubles down on its self-driving taxi strategy.

Uber has already partnered with major players in the ‌space, including ⁠Baidu, ⁠Amazon's Zoox, Nissan and British startup Wayve, and said it will invest ​more than $100 million to develop autonomous vehicle charging hubs as the sector races ​to commercialise driverless mobility at scale.

Uber's tie-up with Motional will allow Las Vegas users onits app to hail a ​driverless electric vehicle at no extra cost,the ⁠company said. The service will cover pick-up zones along ​Las VegasBoulevard, ​including Resorts World, Encore at the Wynn, WestgateResort & ⁠Casino, Downtown Las Vegas and Town Square near ​theairport.


Users requesting UberX, Uber Electric, Uber Comfort orUber Comfort Electric may be matched with a Motional IONIQ 5robotaxi, with the option to switch to a conventional ride. Motional's IONIQ 5 is among the first SAE Level 4-capableautonomous vehicles certified under the U.S.'s Federal MotorVehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), ‌according to Uber.

The vehicles will initially operate with a human safetyoperator behind the wheel, with a ​fully driverless ​serviceexpected to be ⁠launched by late 2026. Earlier this week, Uber signed a multi-year deal to deployAmazon self-driving unit Zoox's robotaxis on its platform, withlimited ​services already live in Las Vegas and a pilot riderprogram underway in San Francisco. On Thursday, Uber, Nissan and Wayve agreed to collaborate,targeting a pilot robotaxi launch in Tokyo by late 2026, markingUber's first autonomous vehicle partnership in Japan.