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Uber Invests $1.25B in Rivian for EV Robotaxis

Is the Uber-Rivian robotaxi deal a bold leap forward for transportation or a reckless threat to workers and public safety?

Published MAR 19

Uber Invests $1.25B in Rivian for EV Robotaxis

Story

Above: A Rivian R2 on display in front of the Texas Capitol during the SXSW Conference & Festivals in Austin, Texas, on March 12. Image credit: Nick Piacente/SXSW Conference & Festivals Getty Images

The Facts

Uber Technologies announced plans on Thursday to invest up to $1.25 billion in electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive through 2031, with a $300 million commitment following the completion of the deal, subject to regulatory approval.
Uber
Financial Times
CNBC
Under the partnership, Uber or its fleet partners will purchase 10,000 fully autonomous versions of Rivian's R2 SUV, with the option to buy up to 40,000 more beginning in 2030. The R2 robotaxis will be available exclusively through Uber's platform.
Uber
Rivian
Uber will receive the first of these robotaxis by 2028 and initially restrict their deployment to San Francisco and Miami, before expanding their use to 25 unspecified cities across the U.S., Canada and Europe by the end of 2031.
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Rivian
By then, the R2 robotaxi will operate using Rivian's third-generation autonomy platform, which Rivian plans to integrate into the vehicle in late 2026. The platform includes 11 cameras, five radars and one lidar sensor, powered by two in-house RAP1 chips, capable of up to 1600 TOPS of AI compute performance.
Uber
Rivian
The partnership is the latest development in Uber's autonomous vehicle strategy, following an agreement with Amazon's Zoox the previous week to provide driverless rides in Las Vegas by mid-2027. Uber has made similar agreements in 2025 with Waymo in Austin and Atlanta, as well as with Avride in Dallas.
Uber
Uber
Uber
Uber
To further this approach, Uber launched its Uber Autonomous Solutions program in February, which aims to provide the infrastructure, user experience and fleet operations to "build and successfully commercialize autonomous vehicles" across multiple global markets.
Uber

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The Spin

Techno-optimist narrative

The $1.25 billion Uber-Rivian deal is a significant win for the future of transportation, which provides exactly the kind of bold investment that moves the needle. Rivian's vertically integrated approach, combining cutting-edge hardware with its own AI chips and data flywheel, and Uber's massive platform, make this partnership uniquely positioned to deliver safe and scalable autonomous rides.

Uber

Techno-skeptic narrative

Rushing robotaxis into service will be a disaster for public safety and workers. The threat to the former is obvious following the series of accidents this technology has already caused. Concerning the latter, it will cost the livelihoods of nearly 7 million American taxi drivers, truckers, delivery drivers and more, who will have no realistic path to the new jobs automation will create.

Tremendous

SMART