A city memo released Friday confirmed Tesla’s autonomous ride service began April 19 in Dallas, with a service map that covers downtown, parts of East Dallas, much of central Dallas up to Northwest Highway and University Park and Highland Park.
Much of West Dallas, Far North Dallas and just about all of southern Dallas are left out, for now.
“Over time, Tesla intends to expand its operation to cover all of Dallas,” Dev Rastogi, an assistant city manager, said in the memo to the mayor and City Council. Tesla’s entry and planned expansion in the Dallas market, she said, “strengthens our position as a forward-thinking technology and mobility hub.”
She gave no explanation for Tesla’s footprint or why it’s drawn that way.
Tesla also plans in-person training for Dallas police, fire and other first responders to familiarize them with the driverless cars, Rastogi said.
Tesla joins Waymo and Uber in operating fleets of driverless taxis in Dallas.
Waymo launched in February, covering a 50-square-mile area that stretches from downtown to Bishop Arts, South Dallas, Deep Ellum, Love Field and University Park. Uber, partnering with Avride, has offered driverless taxis in Dallas since December.