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

This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk headed to Dallas to attend Forward Fort Worth. While in town, they rode in several Waymos and in Uber's autonomous vehicle partners Avride and May Mobility, and discovered two Waymo depots in Dallas.The Waymo driver in Dallas was noticeably more cautious than in the Bay Area or Miami, but overall a great experience. While riding around in Waymos, Grayson discovered two depots on opposite ends of downtown Dallas. One appeared to be a temporary depot with portable charging, while the other was not yet operational but had charging infrastructure built out with a design matching Waymo's Santa Monica and Miami depots.While Grayson rode around in Waymos, Walt headed to Arlington for an update on May Mobility's progress. He noticed a smoother ride than his prior experience last year, though he still encountered heavy braking. Last but not least, both Grayson and Walt successfully ordered Avride robotaxis on the Uber X tier after a Dallas police officer pointed Grayson to the best spot to get matched with an AV on the Uber platform.Closing out the show, Grayson and Walt discuss Nissan's autonomous vehicle strategy through its Wayve partnership and Zoox's upcoming Miami and Atlanta launches, while reigniting the LiDAR versus vision debate.Episode Chapters00:00 Forward Fort Worth 02:47 Waymo in Dallas: Ride Experience and Depot Discoveries12:25 May Mobility in Arlington: Ride Experience & Uber Launch Timeline 16:45 Avride in Dallas: Ride Experience 21:49 Uber's Multi-Partner Strategy 30:27 Nissan's Autonomous Vehicle Strategy 33:18 Zoox's Pending Miami & Atlanta Launches36:11 LiDAR vs. Vision Debate 41:50 Tesla Robotaxis in Dallas43:28 Foreign Autonomy Desk 48:36 Next WeekThe Road to Autonomy is the definitive media brand covering the Autonomy Economy™. Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary market intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com. LightShed Partners is a leading independent research firm focused on the convergence of technology, media, and telecommunications. Known for its forward-thinking insights, LightShed Partners provides in-depth analysis on trends, disruptions, and innovations shaping these industries, offering clients data-driven research to inform investment decisions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for research here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The LightShed Podcast, released every Friday, delivers cutting-edge insights into the world of technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), focusing on key trends and disruptions shaping the future of these industries. Each episode explores topics like streaming services, social media, digital transformation, and the future of entertainment technology. Closely followed by key decision-makers in the TMT industries, this podcast provides actionable analysis for investors, industry professionals, and tech enthusiasts. Subscribe to the LightShed Podcast for expert commentary on market trends, investment opportunities, and insights driving the TMT sector forward. For access to this paywalled podcast email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠team@lightshedtmt.com⁠⁠