TLDR: Uber and Nvidia have announced a strategic partnership to deploy a global fleet of 100,000 autonomous robotaxis starting in 2027. The collaboration will leverage Nvidia’s advanced AI and Drive AGX Hyperion 10 platform, along with a joint ‘AI data factory’ to process vast amounts of driving data for training self-driving AI models. Stellantis and Foxconn are set to supply the initial vehicles.
Uber and Nvidia are embarking on an ambitious collaboration to revolutionize urban mobility with the deployment of 100,000 autonomous robotaxis worldwide, with large-scale operations projected to commence by 2027. This landmark partnership, unveiled during Nvidia’s GTC conference in Washington, D.C., signifies a major leap towards the commercialization of driverless transportation.
At the core of this initiative is Nvidia’s cutting-edge Drive AGX Hyperion 10 platform, a comprehensive compute and sensor architecture designed to make vehicles ‘Level 4-ready’ for autonomous operation. This platform will be complemented by Nvidia’s Drive AV software stack, enabling automakers to seamlessly integrate advanced sensors and hardware essential for self-driving capabilities. The collaboration builds upon an earlier agreement from January, where Uber shared extensive driving data to enhance Nvidia’s artificial intelligence and chip systems for autonomous vehicles.
To accelerate the development of these robotaxis, Uber and Nvidia will jointly establish a ‘robotaxi data factory.’ This facility will leverage Nvidia’s Cosmos development platform to process over three million hours of driving data collected by Uber. The goal is to train and refine foundational AI models on ‘trillions’ of real-world and synthetic driving miles, ensuring unparalleled accuracy and safety. Nvidia will supply the necessary processors, simulation tools, and large-scale data analytics systems. The training will also utilize a vast multimodal dataset, including camera, radar, and lidar data, spanning 1,700 hours across 25 countries.
Automaker Stellantis is slated to be a key supplier, providing at least 5,000 Nvidia-powered robotaxis for Uber’s fleet, initially targeting the U.S. and select international markets. Foxconn will support Stellantis in hardware and system integration, with production anticipated to begin by 2028. Pilot programs are expected to roll out in the United States before expanding globally. Uber will take on the comprehensive management of the robotaxi fleet, overseeing maintenance, charging, cleaning, remote assistance, and customer support. The company also plans to continue its collaborations with other autonomous developers such as Waymo, WeRide, and Nuro.
Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang emphasized the transformative potential of this partnership, stating, ‘Robotaxis mark the beginning of a global transformation in mobility — making transportation safer, cleaner, and more efficient.’ He added, ‘Together with Uber, we’re creating a framework for the entire industry to deploy autonomous fleets at scale, powered by Nvidia AI infrastructure. What was once science fiction is fast becoming an everyday reality.’ Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi lauded Nvidia as ‘the backbone of the AI era,’ highlighting that this collaboration will expedite the availability of autonomous vehicles to consumers and reshape urban transportation.
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This strategic alliance underscores Nvidia’s role as a foundational technology provider for autonomy and offers Uber a credible, standardized pathway to scale its autonomous operations. If successful in delivering a safe and high-quality rider experience, 2027 could mark a pivotal moment where robotaxis transition from pilot projects to a tangible mobility option in various cities, with freight services potentially following suit.
