Motional launches robotaxi service on Uber app in Las Vegas following company restructuring

Hyundai-owned Motional has officially launched its autonomous vehicle service on Uber’s app in Las Vegas, two years after the company faced financial and operational challenges. The self-driving version of the Ioniq 5 is now available for rides in five city areas, including popular spots like Resorts World, Encore, Westgate, Town Square, and Downtown Las Vegas. Currently, a safety monitor is required in the vehicles, but Uber and Motional expect to achieve fully driverless operations by the end of 2026. Motional’s journey has been turbulent: created as a joint venture with Aptiv, the company struggled to meet initial commercial targets, leading to Aptiv withdrawing funding. Hyundai invested an additional $1 billion and restructured the company, including cutting around 40% of the workforce. Motional pivoted its autonomous vehicle technology to focus on AI and neural networks, aiming for scalable and affordable solutions. Prior to the public launch, Motional ran a test robotaxi service for employees in Las Vegas and has plans to expand to multiple cities in collaboration with both Uber and Lyft. The launch adds Motional to Uber’s growing network of autonomous vehicle partners, joining other initiatives like Nissan Leaf AVs in Tokyo and future Zoox robotaxi integration in Las Vegas.