PHOTO CREDIT/SOURCE-Uber Technologies, Inc
At launch, the service will be available at designated locations along Las Vegas Boulevard, including rideshare zones at the Resorts World Las Vegas and Encore at the Wynn Las Vegas — plus Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino and curbside in Downtown Las Vegas and throughout the Town Square shopping district near the airport — with plans to expand the operating area in the future.
Here’s what riders can expect when matched with a Motional robotaxi on Uber:
- Request a ride: Riders who request an UberX, Uber Electric, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric may be matched with a Motional robotaxi — at no additional cost. If matched, riders will receive a notification each time and will always have the option to accept or switch to a non-AV ride.
- Start the ride: Once the Motional robotaxi arrives, riders can unlock the vehicle and start the trip — all from the familiar Uber app. And, once inside the vehicle, they’ll be welcomed by audio cues reminding them to close the doors and fasten their seat belts.
- Ride preferences: Uber customers in Las Vegas — residents and visitors alike — who are excited about riding in a robotaxi can boost their chances of getting matched by opting in to the Ride Preferences section of their Uber app under Settings.
- Ride support: Uber and Motional both put safety at the center of operations, and Motional’s robotaxis meet all of Uber’s Autonomous Safety Guidelines. If assistance is needed at any time during a trip, riders will have access to human support — available in the Uber app.
“We’re excited to take the next step with Motional as we launch autonomous rides in Las Vegas,” said Sarfraz Maredia, President of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery at Uber. “This milestone reflects our shared commitment to introduce autonomous vehicles in a way that prioritizes safety, increases reliability, and expands access to more ride options for our customers.”
Custom-designed for ride hail, and engineered for reliable and durable driverless operations, the IONIQ 5 robotaxi was created through the partnership between Motional and Hyundai Motor Group. It is one of the first SAE Level 4-capable AVs to be certified under the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
Initially, Motional robotaxis will feature a vehicle operator monitoring the road ahead from behind the steering wheel. A fully driverless service — with no human operator in the vehicle — is expected to begin by the end of this year.
“Motional is ready to put our extensive ride hail experience to work with Uber again,” said David Carroll, vice president of commercialization at Motional. “With our AI-first autonomous driving system, we’re able to seamlessly navigate hundreds of in-demand pick up and drop off locations where Uber riders want and expect to be able to go, whether that’s major hotel casinos on the Strip, shopping in Town Square or exploring downtown Las Vegas.”
Motional and Uber established a 10-year framework agreement in 2022 that set a partnership in motion for effective scaling and broad adoption of AVs by pairing Motional’s advanced driverless technology with Uber’s network of millions of customers. This agreement followed a successful pilot program with Uber Eats for delivery service in Los Angeles in early 2022, and then led to a ride hailing pilot in Las Vegas in late 2022.
