driverless testing – Misryoum reports Nuro received a permit to test driverless Lucid Gravity SUVs in California, aiming to move closer to Uber’s robotaxi launch.
A major milestone for autonomous ride-hailing is taking shape in California as Nuro receives approval to expand driverless testing tied to its Lucid Gravity robotaxi plans.
Under the updated authorization. Misryoum reports that Nuro can test Lucid Gravity SUVs equipped with its autonomous technology on California public roads without a human safety operator in the driver’s seat.. The new driverless testing permit still sits within a broader regulatory pathway Nuro must navigate before any premium robotaxi service can launch.
This matters because it signals progress from earlier, more limited testing boundaries.. Misryoum notes that Nuro has previously held a driverless permit for years. but that earlier scope focused on a low-speed delivery model. which the company later moved away from as it shifted toward licensing its technology.
In this next phase. Nuro is expected to begin driverless testing later this year. though it has not provided additional timing details.. For now. Misryoum reports that testing with Lucid vehicles has continued in autonomous mode with a human safety operator onboard. including expanded trials where Uber employees can request autonomous rides through the Uber app.
One key question for the industry is how these testing permissions translate into real-world operational readiness.. Even with driverless trials underway. Misryoum says companies still need approvals for ride-hailing deployment. along with additional regulatory authorizations covering how and where vehicles can be used.
Nuro’s larger goal is tightly linked to Uber’s premium robotaxi roadmap.. Misryoum reports that Uber and Nuro have been conducting joint testing with Lucid Gravity vehicles. and that Nuro’s autonomy system runs on Nvidia hardware designed for self-driving workloads.. The vehicle configuration also relies on an array of sensing approaches intended to help the system interpret the surrounding environment.
Meanwhile, Lucid is positioning its robotaxi efforts for the next phase of commercial development.. Misryoum reports that the company has disclosed that testing and mileage accumulation are continuing across multiple U.S.. locations, and it has characterized progress toward late-2026 commercial robotaxi operations, with the exact rollout dependent on regulatory outcomes.
At the end of the day. a driverless testing permit is not the same as a public launch. but it can be a crucial step toward proving the system under less supervised conditions.. For Misryoum readers. this update is a reminder that autonomous progress is often measured less by demos and more by what regulators allow on the road.