You can now ride Uber's robotaxis in Dallas
What's the story
Uber has launched a commercial robotaxi service in Dallas, Texas. The new service is a result of the partnership with Avride, an Austin-based start-up under Nebius Group. However, there are some caveats to this launch, such as the presence of a human safety operator behind the wheel and a limited operating area for now.
Expansion strategy
Extensive network of autonomous vehicle partnerships
The launch in Dallas marks the end of a year-long spree for Uber, which has been signing deals and deploying autonomous vehicle (AV) technology with several companies. These include Waymo, China's WeRide, and San Francisco-based start-up Nuro. So far, Uber has signed 20 AV partnerships across freight, delivery, and robotaxis.
Global reach
Global expansion of autonomous vehicles
Uber already offers AVs on its ride-hailing app in Atlanta, Austin, and Phoenix with Waymo. The company plans to have AVs on its network in at least 10 cities by the end of next year. Over the next two years, Uber plans to launch AVs on its app in Arlington (Texas), Dubai (UAE), London (UK), Los Angeles (California), Munich (Germany), and San Francisco Bay Area.
Service structure
Uber's operational model for robotaxi service
The robotaxi service in Dallas will work like Uber's partnership with Waymo in Austin and Atlanta. Avride will initially run its own fleet, while Uber will take over day-to-day operations like cleaning, maintenance, inspections, charging, and depot management. From the start, Uber will provide end-to-end rider support while Avride will handle vehicle testing.