Uber, Stellantis, Nvidia, and Foxconn make a robotaxi deal

Robotaxi fever is back, baby! After a clump of automaker-led autonomous driving projects unopen down amid concerns implicit information and costs, car companies are expressing a renewed involvement successful self-driving cars, and robotaxis specifically. Stellantis, which oversees brands similar Jeep, Ram, Dodge, and Chrysler, announced contiguous a “new collaboration” with a divers scope of firms, including Nvidia, Foxconn, and Uber, to motorboat its ain robotaxi service.

It volition enactment thing similar this: Stellantis volition physique the vehicles, Nvidia and Foxconn volition instal the self-driving systems, and Uber volition deploy them connected its ridehailing platform. Stellantis says it vehicles platforms are “AV-Ready,” including its K0 Medium Size Van and STLA Small. These vehicles are designed for “maximum flexibility” and tin beryllium built to accomodate aggregate passengers.

The autonomous driving exertion volition beryllium powered by Nvidia’s Drive AGX Hyperion 10 architecture, which includes the chipmaker’s DriveOS software. What precisely Foxconn is bringing to the array is simply a small unclear; the property merchandise lone says the Taiwanese tech institution volition “collaborate with Stellantis connected hardware and systems integration.” Foxconn, which famously manufactures the iPhone for Apple, has declared ambitious plans to merchantability vehicles globally, but has a atrocious wont of partnering with car companies that yet spell retired of business.

Stellantis says “start of production” for these caller vehicles is slated for 2028. Uber volition deploy the robotaxis successful aggregate markets globally, starting archetypal successful the US with 5,000 vehicles. No different details person been provided astir circumstantial cities oregon deadlines.

These announcements thin to tout the “collaborative” aspects of the deal, but often they are conscionable supplier deals being framed arsenic partnerships. Nvidia is besides supplying its tech to a fig of antithetic companies, including General Motors and Lucid. Uber has said it wants to enactment many antithetic robotaxi brands on its platform, including Waymo and Volkswagen. Stellantis is moving connected Level 3 partial autonomy for galore of its brands, including Jeep. And it has a robotaxi woody with Pony.ai.