Uber invests $1.25 billion in Rivian for 50,000 robotaxis

Uber has announced a $1.25 billion investment in Rivian (around €1 billion at the current exchange rate), aiming to develop a robotaxi fleet and make driverless options widely available on its platform.

By the end of the decade, the US company intends to launch an “offensive” of 50,000 robotaxis on the roads across 25 cities worldwide.

Funding will be released as Rivian reaches autonomous-driving milestones. An initial investment of $300 million (approximately €260 million) has already been made.

Rivian R2 to become a driverless taxi

The Rivian R2 will be at the centre of the partnership, with the compact SUV adapted into a robotaxi exclusive to the Uber platform. The first stage calls for 10,000 vehicles to begin operating in San Francisco and Miami from 2028. However, the agreement includes an option to purchase a further 40,000 vehicles from 2030.

Third-generation autonomous-driving platform

The model is based on a third-generation platform featuring 11 65-megapixel cameras, 5 radars and 1 LiDAR unit. Together, these systems can create a 3D map of the urban environment and enable safe navigation through city traffic.

Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s chief executive, says the company “strongly believes in Rivian’s approach to designing the vehicle, the computing platform and the software suite, while retaining end-to-end control of manufacturing and supply at scale in the US.”

For the company, this vertical integration is the “secret” to ensuring that the vehicle does not simply drive itself, but does so safely and at scale.

What happens next for Uber and Rivian?

If the initial trials proceed as planned, Uber plans to extend the fleet to 25 cities across the US, Canada and Europe by the end of 2031.

“We are extremely excited about this partnership with Uber, which will help us accelerate our path towards Level 4 autonomous driving, creating one of the safest and most convenient platforms in the world,” concluded RJ Scaringe, Rivian’s founder and chief executive.