Drive.ai Launches Free, On-Demand Ride-Hailing in Arlington

Drive.ai launched its free, on-demand ride-hailing service in Arlington, Texas, Friday, deploying a fleet of autonomous vehicles to be used by the city’s residents and visitors.

Serving Arlington’s downtown district, Drive.ai’s vehicles run between fixed pick-up and drop-off points, which includes the Arlington Convention Center, AT&T Stadium, and Globe Life Park. Riders request a ride either through one of the kiosks located in the service area, or through the Drive.ai app.

According to Drive.ai, the City of Arlington sees 14 million visitors a year and hosts 100,000 people in its entertainment district during Cowboys and Rangers games.

“At Drive.ai, we believe three key elements will be the foundation of advancing self-driving programs and scaling them in new cities and use-cases,” the Mountain View-based company wrote in a blog post. “First, we leverage deep-learning technology which allows us to scale quickly. We can adapt to a range of geographies and vehicles, meaning we’re nimble and can rapidly ramp up with new partners. Second, we have a people-centric approach which prioritizes a safe, smooth experience for riders, pedestrians, and other drivers. Finally, we are committed to working closely with regional and local governments to deploy self-driving programs that are safe and scalable.”

Drive.ai launched its first fleet of autonomous vehicles in Frisco earlier this year.