Uber launches AV Lab to supply autonomous driving data to robotaxi partners
Uber’s new AV Lab initiative marks a strategic pivot from its 2020 divestment of its self-driving division, aiming to generate 2 million miles of monthly data by late 2026 to support external autonomous vehicle developers.
Uber has deployed its first autonomous vehicle as part of a new AV Lab project to gather data for its robotaxi partners. The manually driven Hyundai Ioniq 5 is equipped with sensors such as cameras, lidar, and radar to capture 'edge' cases during regular ridehail trips. The vehicle aims to generate at least 2 million miles of data monthly by the end of 2026, with plans to scale further in 2027. Data will be provided free to partners including Wayve, WeRide, Nuro, and Waabi to assist their development efforts.
This deployment represents a notable shift in Uber’s long-term strategy regarding autonomous technology. The company sold its self-driving car division in 2020 following a fatal accident in Tempe, Arizona, where a self-driving vehicle killed a pedestrian. Since that event, Uber has focused on partnering with AV startups rather than developing its own autonomous technology, positioning itself as the primary platform for the technology rather than a developer.
However, the barriers to entry for external developers remain high. Many AV developers, particularly those outside of well-funded giants like Waymo and Tesla, face significant costs associated with data collection and testing. AV operators generally require at least 10 million miles of data to reach their first public driverless launch. By leveraging its network, which handles approximately 40 million trips daily, Uber can provide its partners with exposure to the variety of rare or difficult driving scenarios that occur on the road.
Balaji Krishnamurthy, Uber’s chief financial officer, confirmed the initiative on X, stating that the vehicles will be manually driven and will generate revenue while completing regular Uber trips. He emphasised the value of the data, noting that the fleet will capture the edge cases the network handles countless times each day. The project is part of a broader 'Uber Autonomous Solutions' initiative announced earlier in the year, which aims to provide various services to robotaxi partners.
The AV Lab initiative began with a single Hyundai Ioniq 5, though Uber executives have indicated they are not committed to the Hyundai model long-term. The data collected will be provided free of charge to partners including Wayve, WeRide, Nuro, and Waabi. This move is designed to help these companies defray the high costs associated with launching a commercial service and accelerate their scaling efforts.
