Uber to Begin Robo Taxi Service in San Francisco in 2026

Uber announced plans to launch its own robo-taxi service in San Francisco by the end of 2026, setting up a direct rivalry with Waymo, the current leader in U.S. autonomous transportation.

The announcement follows just a day after Uber and NVIDIA revealed a partnership to deploy 100,000 self-driving vehicles by 2027, signaling Uber’s growing ambitions in the AI-driven mobility market.

Earlier this year, Uber and autonomous vehicle startup May Mobility announced a strategic partnership to scale the deployment of self-driving vehicles across the U.S., starting with pilot programs in 2026.

Currently, Uber users in select U.S. cities can already hail Waymo’s autonomous rides through the Uber app, a collaboration that highlights how self-driving technology is gradually being integrated into mainstream ride-hailing services.

Uber’s move into full-scale robo-taxi deployment marks a significant shift for the company, which has previously relied on partnerships with other autonomous vehicle developers rather than building its own fleet.

In another strategic alliance, Uber and Baidu have announced plans to deploy Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles on Uber’s platform in markets outside the U.S. and China, targeting regions in Asia and the Middle East later this year.