Waymo plans to bring its robotaxi service to Dallas in 2026

Waymo, the autonomous vehicle division of Alphabet, is gearing up to introduce its robotaxi service in Dallas in 2026, expanding its reach to more U.S. cities. This announcement comes alongside plans to enter other metropolitan markets like Miami and Washington, D.C. In a newly formed partnership, rental car giant Avis will oversee the Waymo fleet in Dallas. Avis CEO Brian Choi emphasized that this collaboration represents a significant milestone for the company, as it seeks to establish itself as a premier provider of fleet management and mobility solutions. Currently, Waymo is conducting trials of its robotaxi service in downtown Dallas using Jaguar I-PACE electric vehicles equipped with the advanced Waymo Driver system. This technology integrates automated driving software, sensors, and various hardware to enable fully autonomous, level 4 driving capabilities. Residents of Dallas will soon be able to request rides through the Waymo app, marking a new chapter in urban transportation. While Waymo operates its services in some areas exclusively via the Uber platform, it continues to lead the robotaxi market. The firm conducts over 250,000 paid trips weekly in cities like Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. Internationally, its main competitor is Baidu's Apollo Go, which is expanding its footprint in Europe. During Alphabet's recent earnings call, executives highlighted impressive milestones, revealing that the Waymo Driver has autonomously covered over 100 million miles on public roads. Furthermore, the company is testing in more than ten cities this year, including New York and Philadelphia. The significance of Waymo's operations has prompted Alphabet to create a distinct category in its revenue reporting for autonomous transportation services, despite the division still operating at a loss of $1.25 billion this quarter, an increase from the previous year’s figures.