Uber Launches Autonomous Rides in Dallas with Avride Partnership

DALLAS, Texas — Starting this Wednesday, Uber riders in Dallas can request autonomous rides thanks to a new partnership with Avride. This marks a significant step in the ongoing rollout of self-driving technology across the United States.

The fleet will consist of Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric vehicles, which will be integrated with Uber’s regular rideshare vehicles. Riders will be notified if they are matched with a robotaxi when they request a ride. The Uber app will allow users to either accept the autonomous ride or choose to wait for a human driver instead.

“We’re excited to launch autonomous rides in Dallas with Avride, as we continue to build towards an increasingly electric and autonomous future,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of autonomous operations. “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 service will operate in a nine-square-mile area covering Downtown, Uptown, Turtle Creek, and Deep Ellum. Uber plans to expand this area and its fleet of robotaxis in the future. For the time being, human monitors will be present in the driver’s seat during rides to ensure safety.

On Tuesday, the Dallas Morning News experienced a demonstration ride with representatives from Uber. During the demo, a human safety monitor took control of the vehicle briefly to navigate an unexpected situation at an intersection. Overall, the demonstration ride was described as satisfactory and uneventful.

Avride’s robotaxis come equipped with advanced safety features, including 13 cameras, 5 lidars, and 4 radars, adhering to Uber’s extensive safety protocols. Inside the vehicles, passengers can see a real-time map and have the ability to control certain aspects of their ride via a large screen.

Research published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention indicates that autonomous vehicles have a significantly lower accident rate compared to human drivers. Avride has reported only two incidents involving its vehicles in 2025, one of which involved a human driver rear-ending an Avride vehicle.

In 2024, Uber announced its collaboration with Avride, expanding on a previous partnership focused on delivery robots. Avride CEO Dmitry Polishchuk emphasized the significance of this development in passenger mobility as they introduce robotaxis in Dallas.

Besides Dallas, Uber has begun offering autonomous rides in cities such as Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Austin, Phoenix, and Riyadh. The company also plans to launch similar services in Dubai, London, Los Angeles, Munich, and the San Francisco Bay Area shortly.