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Avride\u2019s fully electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 robotaxis are now available on Uber in Dallas [Photo: Uber]<\/p>\n
Robotaxi rides are finally available in Dallas, thanks to a partnership between Uber and Austin-based Avride. But starting with today\u2019s launch, riders won\u2019t be alone when they step into the vehicles\u2014an \u201con-board specialist\u201d will be monitoring behind the wheel. Fully driverless operations with no human behind the wheel will begin \u201cin the future,\u201d the companies said.<\/p>\n
San Francisco-based Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER<\/a>) said Dallas riders using the company\u2019s app can now be matched with an Avride robotaxi, unlocking \u201ca brand-new way to ride with Uber.\u201d<\/p>\n The service, using Avride\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re excited to launch autonomous rides in Dallas with Avride, as we continue to build towards an increasingly electric and autonomous future,\u201d Sarfraz Maredia, global head of autonomous at Uber, said in a statement \u201cWith the world\u2019s largest hybrid network, we\u2019re proving how AVs and drivers can work side by side to make transportation more convenient, sustainable, and affordable for people everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n The autonomous Hyundai IONIQ 5 vehicles\u2014wrapped in Avride\u2019s lavender branding and sporting Uber logos\u2014have been a regular sight in downtown Dallas and in nearby neighborhoods for months, as the partners fine-tuned the robotaxis for today\u2019s public ride-hailing launch.<\/p>\n Waymo and Lyft planning their own Dallas robotaxi launches in 2026<\/p>\n Avride and Uber\u2019s robotaxis may not be the only self-driving service in town for long.\u00a0<\/p>\n In July,\u00a0Waymo announced its own plans<\/a>\u00a0to launch a robotaxi service in Dallas in 2026\u2014with\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0noting that Waymo had begun testing on the city\u2019s streets.<\/p>\n And last February, Lyft, the San Francisco-based ride-sharing giant,\u00a0announced plans<\/a>\u00a0to roll out a robotaxi service in Dallas \u201cas soon as 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n But Avride\u2019s branded IONIQ 5s beat both companies to commercial launch here, and Avride\u2019s CEO, Dmitry Polishchuk, has his eye on scaling up.<\/p>\n \u201cRobotaxis are what we\u2019ve been building from day one, and we\u2019re excited to begin introducing them in Dallas, with our partners at Uber,\u201d Polishchuk said in a statement. \u201cBuilding on the success of our autonomous delivery partnership, we\u2019re now expanding our collaboration with Uber and bringing our core technology to passenger mobility, laying the groundwork for scalable autonomous transportation.\u201d<\/p>\n Avride got a big boost in late October when it announced a new $375 million investment and \u201ccommercial commitments\u201d<\/a> from Uber Technologies and the Amsterdam-based Nebius Group, amid the runup to today\u2019s Dallas launch.<\/p>\n How to order a robotaxi via Uber Avride\u2019s Hyundai IONIQ 5 robotaxis are now available to riders in 9 key square miles of Dallas via the Uber app. [Photo: Avride\/Medium]<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what the companies said you can expect when you \u201cmatch\u201d with an Avride robotaxi.<\/p>\n Starting today, riders in Dallas who request an UberX, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric may be matched with an all-electric Avride robotaxi\u2014\u201dat no additional cost.\u201d 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.<\/p>\n Once the robotaxi arrives, riders can use the Uber app to unlock the vehicle and start the trip.\u00a0<\/p>\n If assistance is needed at any time, riders will have access to human support via the Uber app.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss what\u2019s next. Subscribe\u00a0to\u00a0Dallas\u00a0Innovates.<\/p>\n Track Dallas-Fort Worth\u2019s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \tR E A D\u00a0\u00a0 N E X T\t<\/p>\n \t North Texas has plenty to see, hear, and watch.\u00a0Here are our editors’ picks. Plus, you’ll find more selections to “save the date.”<\/p>\n \t 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.<\/p>\n \t 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\u2019s defining recognition for innovators.<\/p>\n
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