Uber Launches Robotaxi Service in Dallas, With ‘Monitors’ Behind the Wheel for Now » Dallas Innovates

Avride’s fully electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 robotaxis are now available on Uber in Dallas [Photo: Uber]

Robotaxi rides are finally available in Dallas, thanks to a partnership between Uber and Austin-based Avride. But starting with today’s launch, riders won’t be alone when they step into the vehicles—an “on-board specialist” will be monitoring behind the wheel. Fully driverless operations with no human behind the wheel will begin “in the future,” the companies said.

San Francisco-based Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER) said Dallas riders using the company’s app can now be matched with an Avride robotaxi, unlocking “a brand-new way to ride with Uber.”

The service, using Avride’s fully electric and autonomous IONIQ 5 SUVs, is launching in a relatively narrow but key part of the city. The service area currently crosses 9 square miles from downtown to Uptown to Turtle Creek to Deep Ellum. The companies plan to expand the operating territory in the future.

“We’re excited to launch autonomous rides in Dallas with Avride, as we continue to build towards an increasingly electric and autonomous future,” Sarfraz Maredia, global head of autonomous at Uber, said in a statement “With the world’s largest hybrid network, we’re proving how AVs and drivers can work side by side to make transportation more convenient, sustainable, and affordable for people everywhere.”

The autonomous Hyundai IONIQ 5 vehicles—wrapped in Avride’s lavender branding and sporting Uber logos—have been a regular sight in downtown Dallas and in nearby neighborhoods for months, as the partners fine-tuned the robotaxis for today’s public ride-hailing launch.

Waymo and Lyft planning their own Dallas robotaxi launches in 2026

Avride and Uber’s robotaxis may not be the only self-driving service in town for long. 

In July, Waymo announced its own plans to launch a robotaxi service in Dallas in 2026—with reports noting that Waymo had begun testing on the city’s streets.

And last February, Lyft, the San Francisco-based ride-sharing giant, announced plans to roll out a robotaxi service in Dallas “as soon as 2026.”

But Avride’s branded IONIQ 5s beat both companies to commercial launch here, and Avride’s CEO, Dmitry Polishchuk, has his eye on scaling up.

“Robotaxis are what we’ve been building from day one, and we’re excited to begin introducing them in Dallas, with our partners at Uber,” Polishchuk said in a statement. “Building on the success of our autonomous delivery partnership, we’re now expanding our collaboration with Uber and bringing our core technology to passenger mobility, laying the groundwork for scalable autonomous transportation.”

Avride got a big boost in late October when it announced a new $375 million investment and “commercial commitments” from Uber Technologies and the Amsterdam-based Nebius Group, amid the runup to today’s Dallas launch.

How to order a robotaxi via Uber

Avride’s Hyundai IONIQ 5 robotaxis are now available to riders in 9 key square miles of Dallas via the Uber app. [Photo: Avride/Medium]

Here’s what the companies said you can expect when you “match” with an Avride robotaxi.

Starting today, riders in Dallas who request an UberX, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric may be matched with an all-electric Avride robotaxi—”at no additional cost.” Riders will receive a notification each time and will always have the option to accept or switch to a non-AV ride, the companies said.

Once the robotaxi arrives, riders can use the Uber app to unlock the vehicle and start the trip. 

If assistance is needed at any time, riders will have access to human support via the Uber app.

To boost the chances of getting a robotaxi ride, Uber customers in Dallas can opt in to the Ride Preferences section of their Uber app under Settings.

Don’t miss what’s next. Subscribe to Dallas Innovates.

Track Dallas-Fort Worth’s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.

R E A D   N E X T

North Texas has plenty to see, hear, and watch. Here are our editors’ picks. Plus, you’ll find more selections to “save the date.”

Creatives Care Dallas brings virtual care, behavioral health, 2,000+ medications with zero copay, and more to Dallas County’s gig workers. The community initiative is powered by Arete Health Shield in partnership with the Dallas Music Office.

D CEO and Dallas Innovates have expanded The Innovation Awards 2026 with more individual and company categories this year. Now is your chance to be part of the region’s defining recognition for innovators.

A familiar figure in Dallas arts, civic innovation, and public service, Cuellar will succeed longtime CEO Tony Fleo following a months-long search as Social Venture Partners Dallas plans its next 25 years.

Data scientist Anmolika Singh put Dallas on the global AI Tinkerers map. At the first meetup, more than 30 pros—founders to Fortune 500 technologists—showed up to trade ideas, projects, and solutions.