Waymo taps Avis to manage robotaxi fleet in Dallas

Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous driving arm, is set to launch its robotaxi service in Dallas next year, marking the latest expansion of its growing commercial footprint that already spans major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.

For this significant rollout, Waymo has forged a strategic partnership with Avis Budget Group. Avis will take on the crucial role of managing Waymo’s fleet of all-electric autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in Dallas. This includes overseeing general depot operations, such as vehicle charging and maintenance, ensuring the fleet remains in optimal condition for round-the-clock service. Customers in Dallas will be able to conveniently hail a robotaxi through the familiar Waymo app.

While Waymo has previously collaborated with other entities, including Uber for services in Austin and Atlanta, and Moove for operations in Phoenix and Miami, the partnership with Avis stands out as Waymo’s first collaboration with a rental car company for fleet management. This pioneering alliance is expected to serve as a blueprint for future expansions into additional cities, signaling a new approach to scaling autonomous vehicle operations.

Chris Bonelli, a spokesperson for Waymo, emphasized the critical role Avis will play in accelerating the company’s ability to scale its advanced technology into new markets more rapidly and cost-effectively. He confirmed that both Waymo and Avis Budget Group have long-term intentions to expand their collaborative efforts into more cities over time, highlighting the strategic depth of this partnership.

The announcement of a Dallas launch may not come as a surprise to those closely following Waymo’s activities. Earlier this year, Waymo conducted its signature “road trips” to Dallas, meticulously mapping the city and initiating preliminary testing with its sensor-equipped vehicles. Following this, Waymo began testing its autonomous vehicles on public roads with a human safety operator onboard. Consistent with its launch strategy in other cities, Waymo will transition to fully autonomous testing once its technology has undergone further validation on Dallas’s streets, ensuring safety and reliability.

Bonelli did not disclose specific launch dates or the initial size of the robotaxi fleet for Dallas. However, he affirmed Waymo’s commitment to progressively scale the fleet with Avis, eventually deploying hundreds of vehicles to serve the Dallas metropolitan area.

Brian Choi, CEO of Avis Budget Group, commented on the partnership, describing it as a “pivotal milestone” in Avis’s evolution. He stated that the collaboration signifies Avis’s transformation from a traditional rental car company into a leading provider of comprehensive fleet management, infrastructure, and operational services for the broader mobility ecosystem.

Currently, Waymo operates commercial robotaxi services in five key markets: Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the expansive San Francisco Bay Area, which includes Silicon Valley. Beyond Dallas, the company has also announced plans to launch commercial robotaxi services next year in Washington, D.C., and Miami, further cementing its position in the autonomous mobility sector.