Waymo taps Avis to manage robotaxi fleet in Dallas

Waymo announced plans to launch a robotaxi service in Dallas in 2026, expanding its commercial autonomous vehicle operations beyond its existing cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. For this launch, Waymo is partnering with Avis Budget Group to manage its fleet of all-electric autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. Avis will oversee depot operations, including vehicle charging and maintenance, marking the first time a rental car company has taken on such a role for Waymo. The partnership aims to help Waymo scale its technology more efficiently and is expected to extend to additional cities in the future. Prior to the Dallas launch announcement, Waymo conducted mapping and initial testing of its sensor-equipped vehicles in the city, progressing to public road testing with safety drivers. The company plans to move toward fully autonomous operations once its technology is validated on Dallas streets. While exact launch dates and fleet size details were not disclosed, Waymo intends to grow the robotaxi fleet to hundreds of vehicles in collaboration with Avis. Avis CEO Brian Choi highlighted