Uber has started offering self-driving rides in Dallas through a new partnership with Avride Inc. Beginning Wednesday, people who book an UberX, Uber Comfort, or Comfort Electric ride in the city might get matched with one of Avride’s Hyundai Ioniq 5 robotaxis, with no extra charge. At first, a specialist will be in the driver’s seat to oversee the trip, but Uber plans to expand the service and eventually remove the human driver.
This launch makes Dallas the fourth U.S. city where Uber has added autonomous vehicles to its ride-hailing service. The company already works with Waymo, an Alphabet Inc. subsidiary, to provide fully driverless rides in Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta. Internationally, Uber offers self-driving rides powered by WeRide Inc. in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.
Uber’s move comes as part of a bigger push to blend human drivers with driverless cars on its platform. Over the past year, Uber has teamed up with more than a dozen technology partners and aims to have autonomous vehicles running in at least 10 cities by the end of 2026. The company is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to get there.
The initial fleet in Dallas will be small but is expected to grow to hundreds of robotaxis in the coming years. For comparison, Uber currently operates about 200 Waymo vehicles in Austin and 100 in Atlanta. In addition to Dallas, Uber is working on launching autonomous rides or pilot projects in Los Angeles with Volkswagen, Arlington (Texas) with May Mobility, Dubai with WeRide, and London with Wayve.
Uber and Avride’s collaboration began in late 2024 with robotic sidewalk deliveries in Austin. Recently, Uber and Nebius Group, Avride’s parent company, agreed to invest up to $375 million to expand Avride’s fleet worldwide to as many as 500 vehicles. This shows Uber’s serious commitment to growing its self-driving services.
Following the Dallas announcement, Uber’s shares jumped by as much as 4.3% in early trading, marking their biggest one-day gain in about two months. So far this year, Uber’s stock has climbed 45%.
Overall, the Dallas launch is another step in Uber’s plan to bring driverless rides closer to everyday use. As they expand, riders may soon find robotaxis a regular option alongside human drivers when they book a trip.