Waymo has announced that it will launch its robotaxi service in Dallas next year, adding to its growing presence in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta. To support its operations in Dallas, Waymo is partnering with Avis Budget Group to manage its fleet of fully electric autonomous Jaguar I Pace vehicles.
Under the partnership, Avis will handle key depot operations including charging and maintenance. Riders will be able to book the self driving taxis using the Waymo app. This collaboration marks the first time Waymo has teamed up with a rental car company to manage its fleet. Previous partnerships include Uber in Austin and Atlanta, and Moove in Phoenix.
A Waymo spokesperson said that Avis will help the company expand into new markets more quickly and affordably. Both companies plan to work together in other cities over time as well.
Waymo has been preparing for its Dallas launch for several months. Earlier this year, the company mapped the city and began initial testing with its sensor equipped vehicles. It has now started testing on public roads with human safety drivers behind the wheel. As in other cities, Waymo will only move to fully autonomous operations after its systems have been thoroughly tested in local traffic conditions.
Although Waymo has not revealed the exact launch date or the size of the first fleet in Dallas, it confirmed that the plan is to eventually scale the service to hundreds of vehicles with the help of Avis.
Avis Budget Group CEO Brian Choi called the partnership a “pivotal milestone in its evolution, from a rental car company to a leading provider of fleet management, infrastructure and operations to the broader mobility ecosystem.”
Currently, Waymo operates commercial robotaxi services in five cities. It also has plans to expand into Washington DC and Miami in the near future.
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