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In a major announcement Thursday, Rivian and Uber revealed a new collaboration with Uber.

The two companies are teaming up to accelerate autonomous vehicle development, with Uber committing up to $1.25 billion in investment and plans to deploy as many as 50,000 fully autonomous Rivian R2 robotaxis exclusively on its platform.

The deal, championed by Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe, marks a significant step forward for both companies in the race toward safe, scalable Level 4 autonomy.

Uber or its fleet partners will initially purchase 10,000 R2 robotaxis, with an option for an additional 40,000 vehicles beginning in 2030. Funding from Uber is milestone-based and tied to autonomy performance targets, with an initial $300 million committed upon signing (subject to regulatory approval).

Deployments will begin in San Francisco and Miami in 2028 before expanding to a total of 25 cities across the United States, Canada, and Europe by the end of 2031.

The robotaxis will be available exclusively through the Uber app, bringing adventure-ready electric vehicles to shared mobility on a massive scale.

Advanced Technology Powers the Vision

The R2 robotaxis will feature Rivian’s third-generation autonomy platform, which includes a powerful multi-modal sensor suite: 11 cameras delivering 65 megapixels total resolution, five radars, and one LiDAR. Computation comes from dual in-house RAP1 chips (providing up to 1,600 TOPS of AI performance), enabling rapid processing of real-world data.

Rivian’s growing consumer fleet creates a robust “data flywheel” that will continuously improve the system. Scaringe emphasized this in his X post: “The combination of Rivian’s rapidly growing data flywheel, our in-house RAP1 inference platform (800 TOPS), and our multi-modal perception stack provides a powerful foundation to scale autonomy quickly and responsibly over the next couple of years.”

This partnership accelerates Rivian’s path to Level 4 autonomy not just for shared fleets but also for personally owned vehicles, aligning with the company’s goal of building one of the safest autonomous platforms in the world.

Executive Voices on the Deal

Scaringe expressed clear enthusiasm: “I’m excited to announce a partnership with Uber. As part of this, Uber plans to invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian and deploy up to 50,000 R2 robotaxis.

This partnership accelerates our path to Level 4 autonomy and supports our goal of building one of the safest autonomous platforms in the world—across both shared and personally owned vehicles.”

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi highlighted the strategic fit: “We’re big believers in Rivian’s approach—designing the vehicle, compute platform, and software stack together, while maintaining end-to-end control of scaled manufacturing and supply in the U.S.

That vertical integration, combined with data from their growing consumer vehicle base and experience managing the complexities of commercial fleets, gives us conviction to set these ambitious but achievable targets.

What It Means for the Future of Mobility

The R2—Rivian’s more accessible electric adventure SUV, slated for customer deliveries starting late 2026—brings the brand’s signature capability, performance, and sustainability to a broader audience.

With competitive pricing and strong range estimates, the platform is well-suited for both personal ownership and high-volume robotaxi operations.

For Rivian, the deal delivers critical capital and commercial validation as it ramps production. For Uber, it secures a dedicated fleet of purpose-built electric autonomous vehicles to expand its mobility network amid rising competition in the robotaxi space.

The announcement, accompanied by striking promotional imagery of an illuminated R2 robotaxi against a vibrant nighttime city skyline branded “Uber × RIVIAN,” has already sparked positive market reaction, with Rivian shares rising sharply in trading.

This partnership represents more than just vehicles and investment—it’s a shared commitment to responsible, data-driven autonomy that keeps the spirit of adventure alive while making transportation safer, greener, and more accessible for millions

As Scaringe and the Rivian team often say, it’s another step toward keeping the world adventurous forever.

Stay tuned as the two companies work toward these 2028 milestones and beyond. The future of robotaxis is arriving faster than ever—and it’s coming with Rivian’s signature rugged style.