We Rode With Uber’s AV Partners in Dallas, Took Several Waymo Rides and Uncovered Two Waymo Depots

Key Takeaways

• Waymo operates two distinct depots in downtown Dallas
• Uber’s AV partners Avride and May Mobility test rides in Texas
• Waymo driver in Dallas rides more cautiously than elsewhere
• May Mobility ride smoother but still heavy braking observed
• Nissan partners with Wayve, signaling new European tech collaboration

Summary

Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk visited Dallas for Forward Fort Worth, riding Waymo robotaxis and Uber‑partner AVs Avride and May Mobility. They uncovered two Waymo depots—one temporary with portable chargers, another permanent with full charging infrastructure—highlighting Waymo’s scaling efforts. The Waymo driver in Dallas was notably more cautious than in other markets, while May Mobility showed smoother rides despite occasional hard braking. The trip also sparked discussion on Nissan’s Wayve partnership, Zoox’s upcoming launches, and the LiDAR‑vs‑vision sensor debate.

Pulse Analysis

Waymo’s discovery of two depots in downtown Dallas underscores the company’s strategy of building localized infrastructure to support rapid fleet expansion. One depot, equipped with portable chargers, appears to be a temporary staging area, while the second mirrors the permanent designs seen in Santa Monica and Miami, complete with fixed charging stations and maintenance bays. By establishing these hubs, Waymo can reduce vehicle downtime, improve route optimization, and gather granular data on urban traffic patterns unique to the Texas market. The cautious driving style observed in Dallas also suggests a calibrated rollout that prioritizes safety while the network matures.

Uber’s decision to partner with multiple autonomous providers—Avride for robotaxi services and May Mobility for micro‑transit—reflects a hedge against technology risk and a desire to offer diverse mobility options on a single platform. The successful on‑demand ordering of Avride vehicles through Uber’s X tier demonstrates seamless integration of AVs into existing ride‑hail ecosystems, potentially accelerating consumer acceptance. Meanwhile, May Mobility’s smoother ride, despite occasional hard braking, indicates incremental improvements in vehicle control algorithms. This multi‑partner model positions Uber as a marketplace for autonomous mobility rather than a single‑source supplier.

Traditional automakers are also accelerating their AV ambitions, as shown by Nissan’s partnership with UK‑based Wayve, which brings vision‑first AI expertise to a legacy vehicle manufacturer. Concurrently, Zoox prepares launches in Miami and Atlanta, intensifying competition in densely populated corridors. The ongoing debate between LiDAR‑heavy stacks and pure‑vision systems remains unresolved, with each approach offering trade‑offs in cost, weather resilience, and perception range. As more cities grant testing permissions, the convergence of these technologies will shape the regulatory and commercial landscape, determining which players achieve scalable, profitable autonomous fleets.