March 12 (Reuters) - Lucid unveiled a two-seater robotaxi concept without steering wheel and pedals, and launched new self-driving tech subscriptions, as the electric-vehicle maker laid out its roadmap for the technologies at an investor day event on Thursday.
The unveiling deepens Lucid's push into fully autonomous vehicles, potentially putting it in direct competition with Tesla's Cybercab as automakers race to build a driverless future.
The Elon Musk-led company last month said its first Cybercab had officially rolled off the production line at its Gigafactory in Texas. Tesla expects to begin mass production of Cybercab in April.
Lucid said its two-seater robotaxi will have 40% lower operating cost and would have an efficiency figure of around 5.5 miles per kilowatt hour. The company did not provide more details on timeline or pricing.
The company is taking a dual-pronged approach, partnering with other firms for robotaxis, while selling EVs with similar self-driving capabilities.
The company has also partnered with Uber and Nuro to commercialize a robotaxi based on its Gravity SUVs this year. Lucid, known for its luxury Air sedans, is also racing to launch a more affordable mid-size EV platform to broaden its customer base.
MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION STARTS AT $69
Lucid's monthly subscription for its self-driving technology would be priced between $69 and $199 depending on the level of autonomous driving capability a customer chooses, the EV maker said.
Bigger rivals Rivian and Tesla have also shifted to subscription-based systems in recent months, reflecting automakers' increasing focus on diversifying their businesses to software and recurring revenue streams.
Last month, Tesla shifted to a subscription plan for Full Self-Driving at $99, with its vehicle owners no longer being able to purchase the feature as a one-time, permanent option. Musk has since said the $99 monthly price will rise "as FSD's capabilities improve."
Rivian launched its in-house driver assistance system, Autonomy+, at $49.99 per month or $2,500 as a one-time purchase, undercutting Tesla's pricing.
(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; Editing by Leroy Leo)
