May Mobility’s Robotaxis to Debut on Uber in Texas This Year
▼ Summary
– May Mobility will launch a robotaxi service with Uber in Arlington, Texas, marking its expansion into the ride-hailing market beyond shuttle operations.
– The partnership is part of Uber’s strategy to enhance its autonomous vehicle offerings, complementing existing collaborations with companies like Waymo.
– Initially, May Mobility’s modified Toyota Sienna vehicles will operate with human safety drivers, with plans to remove them as the technology matures.
– The partnership aims for rapid expansion across multiple U.S. cities starting in 2026, with May Mobility planning to deploy thousands of autonomous vehicles.
– This collaboration is a critical test for May Mobility’s technology, transitioning from private to public ride-hailing services, and will provide valuable data for system refinement.
Autonomous vehicle startup May Mobility is set to launch its robotaxi service through Uber in Arlington, Texas before the year ends, marking a significant expansion beyond its current shuttle operations. The multi-year partnership represents a strategic move for both companies as they push deeper into the self-driving transportation sector.
Uber gains another autonomous vehicle partner to complement its existing collaborations, including Waymo’s robotaxi services already available in Phoenix and Austin. Meanwhile, May Mobility transitions from serving confined areas like corporate campuses to entering the competitive ride-hailing market. The timing coincides with Lyft’s similar plans to deploy autonomous vehicles in Atlanta, setting up a three-way race in emerging mobility markets.
When the service launches, Uber users in Arlington will see May Mobility’s modified Toyota Sienna Autono-MaaS vehicles as an option when requesting rides. These hybrid minivans come equipped with the startup’s proprietary autonomous technology. Initial operations will include human safety drivers monitoring the system, with plans to eventually remove them once the technology proves reliable.
Looking beyond Texas, the partners aim to scale rapidly across multiple U.S. cities starting in 2026. May Mobility anticipates deploying thousands of autonomous vehicles nationwide within the coming years as part of this expansion. The company currently operates self-driving shuttles in several locations including Michigan, Minnesota, Georgia, Florida and Arizona—typically in controlled environments with predictable traffic patterns.
This Uber partnership represents a major test for May Mobility’s technology as it moves from servicing private communities to handling the complexities of public ride-hailing. The Arlington deployment will serve as a proving ground before wider rollout, offering valuable real-world data to refine their autonomous systems for diverse urban conditions.
(Source: TechCrunch)
