Uber Launches 'AV Lab' to Collect Real-World Robotaxi Data Across Its Ridehail Network
Summary
Uber launches 'AV Lab,' deploying sensor-equipped vehicles across its ridehail network to collect real-world driving data for robotaxi partners, targeting 2 million miles of data per month by end of 2026.
Key Points
- Uber launches its 'AV Lab' project, deploying sensor-equipped vehicles — starting with a single Hyundai Ioniq 5 — that are manually driven on its ridehail network to collect data for its robotaxi partners.
- The vehicles are not operating as robotaxis but are designed to capture real-world 'edge case' driving data across Uber's 40 million daily trips, helping AV startups reach the estimated 10 million miles needed for a public driverless launch.
- Uber's AV Lab fleet is targeting at least 2 million miles of data per month by the end of 2026, with plans to scale further in 2027, marking the company's return to hands-on AV development after selling its self-driving division in 2020 following a fatal crash.