TL;DR:
- Waymo plans to launch its robotaxi service in Dallas next year.
- Avis Budget Group will handle fleet operations, including charging and maintenance.
- This marks Avis’s first robotaxi partnership, with expansion to more cities likely.
- Testing is already underway with safety drivers; full autonomy to follow.
Waymo Expands to Dallas With New Fleet Partner
Waymo has announced its next launch city: Dallas, Texas. The Alphabet-owned company revealed that it will roll out its all-electric autonomous Jaguar I-Pace robotaxi fleet in the city in 2026. In a strategic shift, Waymo is partnering with Avis Budget Group to manage operations on the ground, including maintenance, cleaning, and EV charging.
Passengers will hail rides via the Waymo mobile app, which is already live in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta.
Avis Marks First Rental Car Tie-Up
This deal marks the first time Waymo has teamed up with a rental car company to oversee its fleet operations. Avis joins a list of earlier Waymo partners like Uber (for ride-hailing integration in Austin and Atlanta) and Moove in Phoenix.
Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli emphasized that Avis will help the company scale operations more efficiently:
“Avis is playing a large role in helping us expand faster and more cost-effectively,” Bonelli noted. “This partnership will extend to more cities over time.”
Testing Already Underway in Texas
For close observers of Waymo’s operations, the Dallas launch comes as no surprise. The company had already completed mapping and early sensor calibration in the area through one of its signature road trip test runs earlier this year.
Since then, autonomous vehicles have been spotted driving with human safety operators behind the wheel on Dallas roads. As in other cities, Waymo will transition to fully driverless operations once regulatory and technical validation is complete.
While precise launch timelines and fleet size weren’t disclosed, Bonelli confirmed the company will grow to hundreds of robotaxis with Avis’s support.
Avis Looks Beyond Rentals
The partnership is also a strategic evolution for Avis. CEO Brian Choi called the deal a major milestone:
“This is a pivotal step in our evolution from a rental car business to a fleet operations leader for the mobility ecosystem.”
The agreement positions Avis not just as a service provider, but as a key player in next-gen transportation infrastructure.
The Data
| Key Metrics | Details |
| Launch City | Dallas, Texas |
| Fleet Vehicle Model | Jaguar I-Pace |
| Robotaxi Service Start (Dallas) | Expected in 2026 |
| Fleet Management Partner | Avis Budget Group |
| Current Waymo Cities | Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco |
| Upcoming Launch Cities | Washington D.C., Miami |
What’s Next for Waymo
The Dallas expansion is a signal that Waymo is actively pursuing national-scale robotaxi coverage. As infrastructure partnerships grow and more cities are mapped, the company seems poised to cement its role in automated urban mobility.Whether the Avis collaboration sets a new precedent for fleet partnerships remains to be seen—but both companies are betting on a scalable, autonomous future.
