Key Points
- Nvidia plans to launch a robotaxi service in partnership by 2027.
- The service will use “Level 4” self-driving cars that can operate without a human driver.
- This is a major strategic shift for Nvidia, which has historically been a chip supplier.
- CEO Jensen Huang sees robotics and autonomous driving as the company’s second-largest growth area after AI.
Nvidia is making a big move into the self-driving car world. The chipmaking giant announced on Monday that it plans to test a robotaxi service with a partner as early as 2027. This is a clear sign that Nvidia wants to be more than just a chip supplier; it wants to be a major player across the entire autonomous vehicle industry.
The planned service will use “Level 4” self-driving cars, which can operate without a human driver in certain pre-defined areas. While the company hasn’t said who its partner will be or where the service will launch, the announcement itself is significant.
Nvidia has been selling automotive chips under its “Drive” brand since 2015, but they account for a very small share of its business. This new focus on a full-fledged robotaxi service represents a major strategic shift.
CEO Jensen Huang has said that robotics, including self-driving cars, is the company’s second most important growth area after artificial intelligence. “We imagine that someday, a billion cars on the road will all be autonomous,” Huang said at an event at CES in Las Vegas.
To showcase their technology, Nvidia recently gave reporters a ride through San Francisco in a 2026 Mercedes-Benz sedan equipped with its self-driving software. While a safety driver was present, the car handled about 90% of the driving autonomously. The ride was mostly smooth, but the driver had to take over in a tricky situation involving a couple of buses and a rival Waymo robotaxi.
Nvidia’s announcement puts it in direct competition with companies such as Alphabet’s Waymo, which is already operating a commercial robotaxi service in several U.S. cities. With its powerful AI chips and new self-driving software, Nvidia is betting that it can catch up and eventually lead the race to a driverless future.
