Hello, Dallas! Are you ready for the big surprise? Recently, Uber’s newsroom official announced that passengers there could now be matched with a robotaxi care of Avride, unlocking a brand-new season and a new dimension to order rides with Uber.
Avride is a technology company that specializes in autonomous vehicles, developing both robotaxis or self-driving cars, as well as ground-based delivery robots for foods and other goods.
They utilize shared technology between their various vehicle types, aiming to provide a safer and more reliable, as well as efficient transport and delivery. They operate in collaboration with Uber and Uber Eats in cities like Austin and Jersey City. This time, they’re in Dallas.
“Our journey began in 2017 when a group of ambitious engineers decided to tackle one of the most significant challenges of the 21st century – pioneering the future of autonomous transportation. Today, our dynamic team, composed of a few hundred engineers, many of whom have been working on the autonomous driving technology at Yandex, develops and operates autonomous vehicles across the globe, shaping the future of mobility and delivery solutions,” narrated Avride.
Here’s what you could expect when matching your Avride robotaxi on Uber. First, request your ride. Riders in Dallas who request their UberX, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric could get matched with electric robotaxis from Avride, at no additional fees. You will receive a notification each time and will have the option to accept or switch to a non-AV ride.
The moment the robotaxi arrives, riders could unlock the car and begin the trip, all via the Uber app. These cars operate just like how completely autonomous robotaxis do. Plus, there will be an onboard specialist who will monitor the vehicle from behind the steering wheel, before fully driverless operations begin in the future.
You might ask, “Is it safe?” Yes, it is! Every AV on the Uber network should meet the Safety Guidelines as stipulated in official documents. If assistance is needed anytime, riders will get access to human agents for support, via the official Uber app.
In addition, passengers in Dallas may also make use of the Ride Preferences section via the Uber app, particularly under Settings.
So, to recap, those are requesting your ride, easy experience, driverless features, safety, and choosing the ride the way you wish for it.
“As we continue to scale the world’s largest hybrid network, we’re reimagining how the world moves and building a future where autonomous vehicles and drivers work side by side to help make transportation more affordable, sustainable, and accessible for all,” Uber told Ridesharing Forum. “We’re excited for Dallas riders to experience an increasingly electric and autonomous future of transportation. Let’s go!”
This Uber and Avride collab will be available across nine square miles of Dallas – from Downtown to Uptown, to Turtle Creek, then to Deep Ellum – with plans to expand the operating territory in the future. For more ridesharing news, keep browsing this Ridesharing Forum website.