Uber Technologies Inc. is launching autonomous rides with Avride Inc. in Dallas as part of a previously announced partnership, marking the latest US city where the ride-hailing giant is offering such a service.
Customers who request an UberX, Uber Comfort or Comfort Electric may be matched with one of Avride’s Hyundai Ioniq 5 robotaxis at no additional cost starting Wednesday, Uber said in a statement. A specialist will be on board to monitor trips behind the wheel at launch, it added, with plans to both expand the operating territory and go fully driverless in the future.
Uber is investing hundreds of millions in dollars in anticipation of a future when its rides and delivery platform is powered by a mix of humans and driverless vehicles. Having struck more than a dozen similar technology partnerships in the past year, the company expects to have autonomous vehicles on its platform in at least 10 cities by the end of 2026, it has said.
Dallas is the fourth US city where Uber has added robotaxis to its popular ride-hailing platform, with help from technology partners. It works with Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo to offer fully driverless rides in Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta. Outside the US, it offers WeRide Inc. vehicles in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Uber said the Dallas launch will involve a small fleet of Avride robotaxis at launch before expanding to hundreds in the next few years. It currently has about 200 Waymo vehicles in Austin and 100 in Atlanta.
The ride-hailing company’s previously announced collaborations with a planned 2026 launch or pilot program include Los Angeles with Volkswagen AG, Arlington, Texas with May Mobility Inc., Dubai with WeRide and London with Wayve.
Uber has been a partner of Avride, a Nebius Group NV subsidiary, since the fall of 2024, when the two first launched sidewalk robot deliveries in Austin. Last month, Uber and Nebius committed to invest as much as $375 million in Avride so it can expand its global footprint and increase its fleet to as many as 500 cars.
Lung writes for Bloomberg.
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