Nuro has received permission to begin driverless testing of its Lucid Gravity SUV with autonomous technology on public roads in California. These vehicles will eventually be used in Uber’s premium robotaxi service. But the Silicon Valley-based startup, backed by Nvidia and Uber, said it’s not ready to launch yet.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles, the agency that regulates the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles in the state, confirmed to TechCrunch on Tuesday that it had amended Nuro’s driverless AV permit to include Lucid Gravity vehicles.
Nuro has had a driverless driving license for six years, but only applies to operating low-speed delivery vehicles. The program was scrapped when the startup shifted its business model to focus on licensing its technology to companies like Uber.
This latest driverless permit will allow Nuro to test Lucid vehicles without a human being in the driver’s seat. Nuro spokesman David Salguero told TechCrunch that the company expects to begin unmanned testing later this year, without providing further information about when.
Driverless driving permits are one of many regulatory hurdles Nuro must clear before Uber can launch its premium robotaxi service. Nuro also must obtain a driverless summoning permit from the California Public Utilities Commission and a deployment permit from the DMV.
Currently, Nuro and Uber are testing Lucid vehicles in autonomous mode with a human safety operator in the driver’s seat. Last month, testing expanded to allow Uber employees to request autonomous driving for Lucid robotaxi (with a human safety operator on board) through the Uber app.
As Nuro progresses through testing, Uber has increased its commitment to Lucid.
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When the three-way deal was announced in July 2025, Uber said it would invest $300 million in Lucid and purchase 20,000 Gravity vehicles that support robotaxi. This was later expanded to $500 million and at least 35,000 robotaxis, with the contract changed to include at least 10,000 Gravity SUVs and 25,000 EVs built on Lucid’s upcoming midsize platform.
The EV will be equipped with Nuro’s autonomous vehicle system powered by Nvidia’s Drive AGX Thor computer. The Lucid Gravity robotaxi, unveiled in January, is equipped with high-resolution cameras, solid-state lidar sensors, and radar that help the autonomous driving system perceive the real-world environment and operate within it.
Uber has also invested millions of dollars in Nuro.
Lucid has delivered 75 engineered vehicles to Nuro and Uber, and testing and mileage accrual is underway in several cities across the U.S., the EV maker said in its first-quarter earnings call Tuesday.
Lucid said Tuesday that commercial robotaxi operations are expected to begin in late 2026. Depending on regulatory approval, it is possible that these robotaxi operations may not be driverless or be limited in other ways.
Nonetheless, Lucid executives struck a positive tone during the call, noting that all development and certification is progressing as expected.
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