Tech Giants Forge Robotaxi Alliance: Uber, Stellantis, Nvidia, Foxconn
▼ Summary
– Stellantis is launching a robotaxi service through a collaboration with Nvidia, Foxconn, and Uber, marking a renewed interest in autonomous vehicles.
– The vehicles will be built by Stellantis, equipped with self-driving systems from Nvidia and Foxconn, and deployed on Uber’s ridehailing platform.
– Production of these flexible, multi-passenger vehicles is scheduled to begin in 2028, with an initial deployment of 5,000 vehicles in the US.
– Nvidia’s Drive AGX Hyperion 10 architecture will power the autonomous driving technology, while Foxconn’s role involves hardware and systems integration.
– The partnerships are framed as collaborative, but Nvidia and Uber are also working with other companies, and Stellantis has additional autonomy projects and a robotaxi deal with Pony.ai.
A major new alliance is forming to bring self-driving taxi services to the public, signaling a significant resurgence in the robotaxi sector. Stellantis, the automotive giant behind Jeep, Ram, Dodge, and Chrysler, has revealed a strategic partnership with Uber, Nvidia, and Foxconn to develop and launch a comprehensive autonomous ride-hailing service. This collaboration arrives as several earlier autonomous vehicle initiatives were shelved due to safety worries and financial pressures.
Under the arrangement, Stellantis will manufacture the vehicles, while Nvidia and Foxconn will handle the integration of the self-driving technology. Uber will then operate these autonomous vehicles through its widely-used ride-hailing application. Stellantis has indicated that its vehicle platforms, such as the K0 Medium Size Van and STLA Small, are already engineered to support autonomous driving systems. These platforms are built for maximum flexibility, allowing them to be configured for various passenger capacities.
The autonomous driving systems will rely on Nvidia’s Drive AGX Hyperion 10 architecture, which incorporates the company’s DriveOS software platform. Foxconn’s specific role remains somewhat vague, described in official statements as collaborating on hardware and systems integration. Known primarily for assembling Apple’s iPhone, Foxconn has set ambitious targets for entering the global automotive market, though its track record includes partnerships with several car manufacturers that later ceased operations.
Production for these specially designed autonomous vehicles is scheduled to begin in 2028. Uber plans an initial deployment of 5,000 robotaxis across multiple U.S. markets, with future expansion to other countries. Details regarding specific cities or a precise rollout timeline have not yet been disclosed.
While such announcements often emphasize the cooperative nature of these ventures, industry observers note that many are essentially supply agreements framed as strategic partnerships. Nvidia, for instance, provides its autonomous technology to several other automakers, including General Motors and Lucid. Similarly, Uber has expressed its intention to host various robotaxi providers on its platform, such as Waymo and Volkswagen. Stellantis continues to develop Level 3 partial automation for several of its brands and maintains a separate robotaxi agreement with Pony.ai.
(Source: The Verge)
